Youth-led PAC spent $60K on Fresno area Democratic candidates. How did they do?
Candidates backed by a youth-led PAC supporting Democratic candidates in the Fresno area saw mixed results after Tuesday’s primary election.
Youth Save Democracy, a political action committee whose stated mission is to mobilize young voters and fight authoritarianism, has spent more than $60,000 on seven candidates running for city, county and statewide races this election cycle. It’s one of several PACs spending tens of thousands of dollars on local primary races.
According to the latest results, only of one the candidates they backed in a race for local office — the group’s cofounder Navkaran Gurm — appears to be headed to a November general election runoff in the race to replace his former boss Nelson Esparza who will term out of his District 7 seat on the Fresno City Council at the end of the year.
Gurm told The Bee he was “humbled” and “honored” at the results late Tuesday.
“I was a 26-year-old kid and a large plurality of my district decided to mark my name. That’s truly a humbling feeling,” he said.
Youth Save Democracy got its start after former City Hall staff Johnathon Burrows launched a campaign in February 2023 against then-House Speaker Bakersfield Republican Kevin McCarthy, then incumbent of California’s 20th Congressional District. After suspending his campaign in December 2023, Burrows repurposed the funds he raised to start Youth Save Democracy in January 2024.
The group has been criticized by political peers on both sides of the aisle for “unusually high” operational expenses — including its spending on political strategy consultants — compared to its political contributions toward candidates for elected office. Some critics also say the group’s fundraising emails suggests its work is focused on influencing congressional races.
But cofounders Burrows and Gurm said supporting young people running for office in their backyard is part of their mission.
Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters James Kus plans to certify the election by June 26 and as of Wednesday morning, 70,900 votes remain to be counted countywide.
Youth Save Democracy-backed candidates perform in the June 2 primary?
The PAC supported several Gen Z candidates seeking seats in city and county races.
District 3: Fernando Alvarez Morales, 24, a former West Park School District trustee, landed in third place in a crowded race to replace Miguel Arias on the city council, who will term out at the end of the year. Alvarez secured 15.72% of the vote, while state Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula leads with 28%, followed by Fresno Unified Trustee Keshia Thomas at 26.9%. Arambula and Thomas appear to be headed to a November runoff.
Youth Save Democracy supported Alvarez’s campaign with a $5,900 contribution in late May.
District 5: Danielle Parra, 28, a trustee for the State Center Community College, ran for a seat on Fresno City Council’s 5th district against incumbent Brandon Vang. According to the latest results, Parra is in second place, with 30.48% of the votes while Vang has 52.21%. If he maintains this majority, he could avoid a runoff with Parra.
Her campaign received $5,500 from Youth Save Democracy.
District 7: Gurm, 26, the group’s co-founder, received a $5,500 contribution from Youth Save Democracy for his City Council campaign. Gurm secured 38.36% of the vote and is likely headed to runoff against Ariana Martinez Lott to represent District 7.
Omar Hernandez, 28, candidate for Fresno County District 1 supervisor, received a lion’s share of his campaign war chest from Youth Save Democracy, which gave him the maximum allowed donation for a Fresno County race: $30,000.
Hernandez, a trustee for the West Hills Community College District, is in fourth place for the crowded race, according to the last election results.
YSD-backed candidates in state races head to runoff
Youth Save Democracy has also supported three more established Fresno politicians running for state-level office. All three appear to be headed towards November runoff elections.
Board of Equalization, District 1: Esparza, D-Fresno, is in second place with 29.8%, with State Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, is in first place with 36.6%. They appear headed for the November runoff.
Before launching his campaign for BOE in January 2026, Esparza was in the running for a seat in the State Senate, which he ultimately suspended in August 2025 and endorsed Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria for the seat.
Youth Save Democracy donated $5,500 to his State Senate race in 2024, in addition to a proving Esparza with a consulting contract for about $41,000 that same year.
Assembly District 31: Annalisa Perea, a Fresno City Councilmember, leads with 43.95% in the race to replace Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, who opted to run for Fresno City Council. James Polsgrove, R-Fresno — a retired Fresno public works supervisor — is in second with 37.57%. Nonprofit CEO Sandra Celedon, D-Fresno — Arambula’s pick — is in third with 18.26%.
Youth Save Democracy contributed $5,900 to her campaign.
State Senate District 14: Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno will likely head to a November runoff with Merced City Councilmember Darin Dupont, R-Merced. They are at a virtual tie, with 43% each. Youth Save Democracy supported Soria’s bid for the seat with a $1,500 contribution in 2025.
