New Costa ad takes aim at challenger Soria, heating up race for congressional seat
A couple of political advertisements from Rep. Jim Costa, including one taking aim at a fellow Democrat hoping to unseat him, have heated up the race for the 16th Congressional District seat.
Additionally, one councilman said he was displeased that Costa’s campaign wrongly claimed his endorsement.
Costa is running for re-election against challenger Esmeralda Soria, a Fresno City Council member. She was the subject of a TV commercial that recently began airing, mocking comments she made about living “paycheck to paycheck.”
“Soria gets $96,000 a year from taxpayers in pay, perks and benefits,” the voice over in the ad says. “Gave herself a 23% raise on the council.”
The ad goes on to note Soria is in a relationship with Terance Frazier, a developer in town who has been awarded city contracts worth millions of dollars.
Soria on Thursday fired back at Costa in a statement, saying “our Valley deserves better” and she’ll continue to push for change.
“I’m disappointed that my opponent has chosen to use Trump’s playbook and spend his millions of corporate PAC dollars on attacking me,” Soria said on Thursday. “He’s attacking me for simply wanting a change in one of the poorest districts in the country, which he has failed to represent for 40 years.”
Costa is standing firm on the campaign ad.
“When I was first elected to Congress, I committed to working hard for our Valley every day and I stand by the job I’ve done,” he said on Thursday. “I am proud of my record to expand access to healthcare, protect our immigrants and DREAMers, improve education, clean up contaminated groundwater and increase our water supplies.”
Esparza endorsement
A printed ad from Costa’s campaign listing a number of people who have endorsed the congressman featured Fresno City Council member Nelson Esparza.
However, Esparza told The Bee on Thursday he’s made a point of not endorsing anyone in the race.
“I hold a deep respect for both candidates,” he said. “I’m friends with both and I work with both to be effective for my constituents. And that’s why I’ve been forthcoming with both that I am not endorsing either person in the race.”
A digital version of the ad appeared on Facebook in early January, but Esparza said he talked to Costa’s campaign team and got it corrected. The fix apparently did not make it to the printed fliers.
“Jim is a U.S. congressman. He doesn’t have time to review all of the materials his campaign produces,” Esparza said. “I blame this mistake on the gross incompetence of the campaign staff, who I have spoken with several times about not including my name on their campaign materials.”
Esparza publicly voted for Costa as his appointed party delegate at a Democratic caucus back in October. Costa said he was “disappointed” to see Esparza “go back on his commitment” to support the re-election effort.
“My staff is very capable and doing an excellent job. It has always been one of my proudest accomplishments to know that some of the best and brightest youth in our valley, that first worked on my staff, have gone on to contribute greatly as leaders in our community,” Costa said.
“I am honored to have the broad support of most of California’s Democratic statewide leaders, Central Valley legislators, local leaders, community organizations, labor groups, women and the Hispanic community.”
Someone on Costa’s campaign made a poor decision, according to Esparza. He said he was clear with both candidates that he would not make an endorsement, and he never filled out an official endorsement card.
“Participating in the political party process in my capacity as a delegate, is not the same as a public endorsement in my capacity as an elected official,” Esparza said. “A professional campaign staffer knows better than to make that stretch.”
This story was originally published February 6, 2020 at 3:24 PM.
