Here is Bee Editorial Board’s endorsement for Fresno-area Assembly District 8 | Opinion

Jim Patterson has represented Fresno-area voters in the state Assembly since he was first elected in 2012.

Term limits have finally caught up to him, and this is the final year Patterson will represent what is now Assembly District 8. It is a sprawling district, running from north Fresno to communities in Madera, Mariposa, Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, then over the Sierra and south to cover Mono and Inyo counties.

During his years in the statehouse, Patterson has been part of a Republican party that has steadily lost power. Today only 18 Republicans are in the Assembly; there are 62 Democrats. The state Senate and the governorship are also firmly in the Democratic camp.

To make a difference, Patterson took on the mantle of critic. He has regularly pointed out the flaws with Democratic administrations and policies. Sometimes he gets ignored; sometimes he strikes a chord, like with audits of the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Employment Development Department.

District 8 is majority Republican in party registration. The GOP has 43.5% of registered voters, while Democrats have 30.2%

Seeking the seat now as Republicans are former congressman George Radanovich of Mariposa and first-time candidate David Tangipa of Fresno. Also competing are Democrat Caleb Helsel of Clovis and Michael Matheson of Mariposa, who is registered as no-party preference.

Given the current registration makeup of the district and Patterson’s long success in representing most of its communities throughout the years, it is a near certainty that a Republican will find success at the ballot box. While Radanovich brings the most experience as elected official into the race, The Bee Editorial Board found Tangipa more likely to listen to others and work with Democrats, a requirement for a Republican to have any legislative success in Sacramento.

The Editorial Board recommends David Tangipa for Assembly District 8.

Candidate profiles

Here are profiles of the candidates:

David Tangipa, Republican: He grew up in the Sacramento area, the son of a fully disabled veteran father and a mother who was from the island nation of Tonga and had to learn English and the American way of life. Tangipa said his family was poor, but he was good at football, and in college got to play for the Fresno State Bulldogs.

Growing up in low-income circumstances has given Tangipa a willingness to learn about others’ struggles and want to develop policies to help. Repeatedly during the interview with the Editorial Board he referred to how he will listen to voters, community members and Democratic colleagues before deciding on positions.

He wants state government to be good at doing the basics. For example, he said the state should take the lead on reopening an emergency-care hospital in Madera; that county currently does not have a hospital, and patients must come to Fresno or go north for care. In contrast, the basics of government would not mean extending health insurance coverage to undocumented people, Tangipa said.

Tangipa sells real estate, and is a field representative for Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, who is backing him.

Tangipa is also endorsed by Patterson, as well as Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, and a host of county and state leaders.

George Radanovich, Republican: A native of Mariposa County who grew up on his family’s farm, Radanovich began elected service on that county’s Board of Supervisors. In 1994 he got elected to Congress and remained in the House of Representatives until resigning in 2010. He then operated a family retail business and became president of the California Fresh Fruit Association.

Radanovich is running now because “California is in a sorry state of affairs.”

His campaign, he explained, is “about undoing things,” specifically laws he thinks are harmful. He cited several, such as environmental requirements that hamper housing development and laws that reduced the penalties for committing crimes.

Radanovich believes many of California’s problems originate from “adverse childhood experiences,” such as divorce, violence in the home or neglect. He wants to author a bill that would have law enforcement, educators and health providers work with community groups to produce local plans meant to strengthen families.

He believes that idea would attract bipartisan support — “everybody loves kids.”

Caleb Helsel, Democrat: A 2023 graduate of Fresno State, Helsel is campaigning to offer a progressive voice. He is counting on Democrats backing him to push his candidacy to a possible fall runoff, though he would have to finish in the top two of the primary for that to happen.

He says California’s high cost of housing is a demand-supply issue: “We need more homes.” He proposes redirecting tax revenue toward building more affordable, multifamily housing.

He also backs sending water meant to keep a small fish in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta alive to Valley farmers instead. And Helsel supports all forms of cleaner energy over fossil fuels, including nuclear and hydrogen power.

Michael Matheson: A no-party preference candidate, Matheson of Mariposa bills himself as the “independent candidate for community, not politics.”

He backs removing dead trees from Sierra forests to limit wildfires and getting more firefighting aircraft to battle blazes. He believes anyone arrested for producing or distributing fentanyl should face an attempted murder charge. He also wants to set a minimum age to marry so there are no longer any child brides.

Bee recommendation

The Bee Editorial Board supports thinning out of dead trees from Sierra forests to reduce fire danger, and that is a key part of Tangipa’s campaign as well. His family lost a home in the 2020 Creek Fire. As he says on his website: “It is time for common sense to dictate our policies. Log it, graze it, or watch it burn.”

Common sense is always in need in state politics. The Bee Editorial Board recommends that voters elect David Tangipa to represent them in Assembly District 8.

This story was originally published February 6, 2024 at 5:30 AM.