Election 2022: The Fresno Bee Editorial Board’s recommendations for local races

Below is a summary of The Fresno Bee Editorial Board’s recommendations for the June 7 primary election. Recommendations, like editorials, represent the collective opinion of the Editorial Board. Recommendations are not always unanimous and do not necessarily reflect the individual opinions of board members.

The Bee’s opinion section operates independently from the news section. Reporters do not participate in Editorial Board deliberations or weigh in on its decisions. They may observe candidate interviews. The board is led by Opinion Editor Tad Weber.

Federal offices

U.S. Representative, California’s Congressional District 5

The Bee’s choice: Nathan Magsig

Here’s why: Magsig, a Fresno County supervisor from Clovis, has two decades of experience holding office in the Valley, and has a strong grasp on water and forest management policies, which are critical in this mountain district.

U.S. Representative, California’s Congressional District 13

The Bee’s choice: Adam Gray

Here’s why: “If you want a member of Congress who has no record, no experience and doesn’t even live in the district, then vote for any of my opponents, because they all fit that description,” Gray said in The Modesto Bee’s forum. He has represented Merced and Stanislaus counties well for 10 years in the state Assembly and is jointly endorsed by The Bees in Modesto and Fresno as well as The Merced Sun-Star.

U.S. Representative, California’s Congressional District 22

The Bee’s choice: Connie Conway

Here’s why: This is part two of the special election to fill Devin Nunes’ seat. Remember him? He was the longtime representative who resigned in December to go to work for former President Donald Trump. Since then, residents of his Tulare-Fresno County district — largely Tulare, Visalia and Clovis — have been without an active member of Congress. The winner of this contest will serve them until the end of December. The Republican Conway is a former state Assembly member who will be able to help district residents with their issues from day one. She earned The Editorial Board’s backing in the April special election and remains the choice.

State office:

Assembly, District 27

The Sun-Star’s choice: Esmeralda Soria

Here’s why: The Fresno City Councilmember has become a housing expert in her time serving the state’s fifth largest city. Housing is in critical need in Merced, where classes at UC Merced had to be delayed last fall when 1,000 students had not yet found places to live. While in Fresno Soria has done more than any other council member to develop affordable units; this background led to her being appointed to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s homeless task force in 2019. She was one of seven elected officials and the only person from the San Joaquin Valley. Soria is also a pro-choice Catholic who wants a woman’s right to choose written into the state Constitution, and supports completing high-speed rail.

County offices

County supervisor District 4

The Bee’s choice: José Ramírez

Here’s why: Incumbent Ernest “Buddy” Mendes has a long tenure as an elected official. But it is time for this district to be represented by a Latino. Fresno County is a majority-Latino area in terms of population, at 53.6%. Only one of the five current supervisors is a Latino. Ramírez has good experience in municipal government as a city manager and can make the transition to county affairs.

Sheriff-coroner

The Bee’s choice: Mark Salazar

Here’s why: Both Salazar, a Fresno police deputy chief, and John Zanoni, an assistant sheriff, are excellent candidates with strong law-enforcement credentials. Salazar is The Bee’s pick because it is time for the county to have a Latino sheriff, given how the county is Latino-majority today. He would be the first Latino to hold the post if elected.

County superintendent of schools

The Bee’s choice: Michele Cantwell-Copher

Here’s why: This race has three candidates, and Cantwell-Copher is clearly the most experienced and capable. Now the assistant superintendent in charge of educational leadership and development for the Fresno County Office of Education, Cantwell-Copher can easily step into the top role when current county Superintendent Jim Yovino retires on Jan. 2, 2023.

City offices

Fresno City Council District 1

The Bee’s choice: Annalisa Perea.

Here’s why: Her background as a planning professional equips her to take Fresno to the next level when it comes to transportation, parks and pedestrian-friendly amenities. She helped guide State Center Community College District in its planning for a west Fresno satellite campus. And she has political chops, coming from the family of two former Democratic leaders.

Fresno City Council District 3

The Bee’s choice: Miguel Arias

Here’s why: Arias has been a tireless advocate for greater investment in west Fresno, and that has resulted in plans for new residential development as well as Fresno City College’s west Fresno campus. He was instrumental in guiding the city through the COVID pandemic and has not shied away from holding long-sacred departments like police to account.

Fresno City Council Districts 5 and 7

The Bee’s choices: Luis Chavez and Nelson Esparza

Chavez, who represents southeast Fresno’s District 5, and Esparza, of central Fresno’s District 7, are facing lesser competition for the seats and could win re-election in the primary. Both incumbents have done solid jobs of representing their parts of Fresno, paying attention to town hall meetings as well as services like street repairs.

Fresno County measure

Measure Z: Sales tax revenue for Fresno Chaffee Zoo

The Bee’s choice: Yes. The zoo is a beloved part of the city’s fabric and remains a leader among zoos nationwide because of strong taxpayer support. There is no reason to stop that funding now.

Statewide Offices

Here are the recommendations of The Sacramento Bee on statewide races:

California Attorney General

The Bee’s choices: Rob Bonta and Anne Marie Schubert

Here’s why: The attorney general’s race provides a forum for meaningful discussions on these issues, and the public would be best served if Bonta and Schubert are the two candidates debating them until November.

California Controller

The Bee’s choice: Steve Glazer

Here’s why: Glazer has consistently demonstrated the capacity to go against the party on principle, an indispensable quality for the office he seeks.

California Insurance Commissioner

The Bee’s choice: Marc Levine

Here’s why: Levine has been a strikingly different sort of politician, which is the least this office needs.

Key voting info

All registered voters have received ballots in the mail. They can be mailed back in the sealed envelope provided; they must be postmarked no later than Tuesday, June 7. Ballots can also be dropped in any of Fresno County’s drop boxes. Voting can also be done at any of the county’s voting centers. Voting on Election Day can be done from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information on mailing ballots, drop boxes or voting in person, go online to www.votefresnocounty.com.

This story was originally published June 2, 2022 at 5:00 AM.