City Council candidates for Old Fig, southeast Fresno neighborhoods share priorities
Fresno City Councilmember Nelson Esparza will term out by the end of the year, leaving his District 7 seat open in the 2026 primary election.
The district includes east-central and parts of southeast Fresno, including the neighborhoods Manchester, Radio Park, Romain Park, Lafayette Park/Fresno High east, Old Fig, and neighborhoods near Shields and Temperance avenues.
The primary election will take place on June 2. Fresno City Council District 1, District 3 and District 5 seats will also be on the ballot, as well as two Fresno County Supervisor seats.
The filing window for candidates seeking office in 2026 is open now through March 6 at 5 p.m. To secure a seat, a candidate must receive over 50% of the vote in the primary election. If no one gets a majority of the vote, the top two candidates will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
Here’s a look at who is considering running for the Fresno City Council District 7 seat in the 2026 primary election.
Fresno City Council District 7 candidates
Former Legislative Assistant for Esparza, Navkaran Gurm, is running for the District 7 seat because he believes “we need a new generation of leadership in our city,” he said in a statement to The Bee.
“I hope to leverage my diverse experience in government, the private sector, and local nonprofits to bring fresh energy, new ideas, and a deep commitment to service to city council,” Gurm said.
One of his priorities includes lowering the cost of essential city services through state and federal grants, he said. Another is fostering business growth and job creation by cutting red tape and launching a program to help small businesses open.
If elected, Gurm said he will spearhead more activities for youth, seniors, and families, like sports and farmers’ markets. Additionally, maintaining clean, well-lit streets, sidewalks, and parks through regular audits of every park and utilizing technology to ensure optimal upkeep and safety is a priority, he said.
AJ Rassamni, the founder of the Blackstone Merchants Association, has filed to run for the District 7 council seat.
He said his priorities, if elected, would include addressing homelessness “with clear solutions in place: Safe zone first, treatment second, housing third.”
Rassamni said he aimed to improve public safety “by enforcing existing laws and clearing the red tape that suffocates progress,” along with repairing streets, sidewalks and installing traffic-calming bumps in residential areas to reduce vehicle speed.
Rassamni is the founder and president of Success From Within, an educational non-profit. He wants to invest in education by leveraging local non-profits to empower students through mentoring and scholarships, he said.
“I am not a politician, I’m running to put you, our neighbors, our families, our community, before politics,” he said.
Ariana Martinez Lott, a consultant and community activist, also intends to run for the District 7 seat.
“For too long, Fresno has expanded outward while existing neighborhoods were left behind - stretching public safety and basic services too thin,” she said in a statement to The Bee.
Martinez Lott worked for Fresno Councilmember Miguel Arias as the Director of Community Relations from 2021 to 2023.
“As a long-time resident of the Birney neighborhood and an engaged community member, my priorities are focused on reinvesting in the neighborhoods we already have: transportation that works for everyone; keeping Fresno affordable and protecting renters rights; expanding partnerships for public safety and reducing emergency response time; and ensuring that everyday people are at the forefront of the decisions being made at City Hall,” she said.
“As an elected official, I will also continue to stand with our immigrant communities and other vulnerable Americans against the ongoing government violence.”
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After facing struggles like homelessness as a teenager, Rene Campos says his background equips him to better understand and serve the community.
“I feel that it’s time for a different type of person to come forward, somebody who represents people from a lesser to more,” Campos said. “I believe community rooted leadership and focused mindset, accountability over politics is very important.”
If elected to the District 7 seat, some of his key priorities include supporting small businesses, job training, and public transportation.
Campos is a registered sex offender. He pleaded no contest to a 2018 charge of possession of child pornography in 2021 and served two years of formal probation, according to court documents.
“It’s not something I want to hide from,” Campos said. “It is my past. It is public record. It is something I’ve learned from and something that I’m growing from.”
Jason Keomanee, a retired paralegal, has also pulled papers to enter the race for District 7. Attempts to reach him by The Bee were unsuccessful.