State Senate District 16: One jumps in, two drop out
The race to represent state Senate District 16 is providing a new math lesson: When does 1 + 5 = 4?
That’s what happened when state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, decided to switch from her re-election bid from her current 14th District to the 16th District to avoid a clash against state Sen. Anna Caballero, a fellow Democrat.
So, instead of a field of six, the 16th District will now have four candidates for the June 7 primary.
March 16 was the deadline for candidates to file for the primary.
Once Hurtado – who upset incumbent Republican Andy Vidak four years ago – entered the race, Democratic hopefuls Imelda Ceja of Bakersfield and Robert Fuentes of Porterville dropped out. Still in the race are former Assemblymember Nicole Parra and Delano Mayor Bryan Osorio.
“Whether in (District) 14 or 16, it doesn’t matter, I’m a daughter of the Central Valley,” Hurtado said in a statement. “I want to continue to represent this district and I’m ready to do it.”
Hurtado’s entry into the district (she had to move into the 16th District) was met with strong opposition from Parra, who said she entered the race after speaking with Hurtado about which district the incumbent would run in.
Redistricting put Hurtado and Caballero in the same district, and Caballero pocketed a handful of key endorsements early on.
“So when I was running for congress my first phone call was to Melissa Hurtado to see which district she was going to run in. She was carved out of senate district 16,” Parra told KMPH Channel 26. “I made the phone call. She made it absolutely clear that she was going to stay and fight in Sanger and that the open seat and that she supported my run for SD 16.”
Fuentes, a civil rights attorney, dropped out of the race the day Hurtado announced her candidacy in the 16th District.
Ceja – whose endorsements included Assemblymember Joaquín Arámbula, civil rights icon Dolores Huerta, and former state Sen. Dean Flórez – dropped out a few weeks later.
The June 7 primary spotlight now switches from the Hurtado-Caballero clash to the Hurtado-Parra contest.
The 16th district reaches just south of Sanger, which has been Hurtado’s home for decades, and swings down to include Kingsburg, Dinuba, Woodlake, Hanford, Corcoran, Porterville, Avenal, Delano, Wasco, McFarland, Arvin, and a chunk of east Bakersfield.
Congressional races
Redistricting carved out another Latino-majority district in the San Joaquín Valley, but the path for a Latino candidate to win remains difficult because incumbents are running in the 21st (Democrat Jim Costa) and 22nd (Republican David Valadao).
The best opportunity for Latinos appears to be Valadeo’s district, where Latinos are 59.42% of the voting age population. Assemblymember Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, has collected major endorsements and is the only major Democrat in the race.
Other candidates in the 22nd District are Republican Chris Mathys, a former Fresno City Councilmember; Libertarian Adam Holt; William Sheldon Cahill, Adam Madeiros, and Elvin Alexander Valenzuela.
In the 21st, Costa is being challenged by fellow Democrat Eric García and Republicans Matt Stoll and Michael Maher.
The 13th District is 50.24% Latino, and incumbent Josh Harder was expected to run here, but opted for the Stockton-centered district that retiring Democrat Jerry McNerney left open.
Instead, Assemblymember Adam Gray has entered the race and is considered the favorite. Fellow Democrat Phil Arballo is running.
Other candidates in that district include Republicans Matt Stoll and Elizabeth Heng. Other hopefuls are Angelina Sigala-Romero, Diego Javier Martínez, John Duarte, and David Giglio.
In the fifth Congressional District, Republican incumbent is being challenged by Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig and perennial candidate John Estrada, both Republicans. Other candidates are Michael J. Barkley, Steve Wozniak, Jolene Day, and Keisten Charles Obert.
State Senate races
Challenging Caballero in the 14th District is perennial candidate Paulina Miranda and Amnon Shore.
Incumbent Republican Shannon Grove of Bakersfield is facing a challenge from Susan Gundy in the 12th District.
The 4th District candidates include former Republican Congressman George Radanovich and four other hopefuls.
State Assembly candidates
Incumbents Joaquín Arámbula (31st), Carlos Villapudua (13th), both Democrats; and Republicans Jim Patterson (8th), and Devon Mathis (33rd) are running again. But that doesn’t mean they are facing challengers.
Arámbula will face fellow Democrat John Mendoza in the primary. Also running are Republican Dolce Misol Calandra, and Andrew Verhines.
In the open 27th District, termed-out Fresno City Councilmember Esmeralda Soria will face council colleague Mike Karbassi. Other candidates are Republicans Mark Pazin, the former Merced County Sheriff, and Amanda Fleming.
Fellow Republican René Núnez is challenging Mathis in the 33rd District. Democratic candidates are Tulare City Councilmember José Sigala and Farmersville City Councilmember Rubén Macareno.
The 22nd District race includes Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Sgt. Juan Alanis, Chad Condit, Joel Gutiérrez, Guadalupe ‘Lupita’ Salazar, Sean Harrison, and Paul Danborn. The district is centered in Modesto.
In the 13th District, Villapudua faces challenges from Tracy City Councilmembers Mateo Bedolla and Verónica Andrea Vargas.
County boards of supervisors
Despite a heavy push by community groups for wholesale changes to supervisorial districts throughout the Valley, little changed.
In Fresno County, incumbent Buddy Mendes faces challenges from Fowler City Councilmember Danny Parra and former Livingston City Manager José Ramírez in District 4. Brian Pacheco is unopposed in District 1.
In Tulare County, incumbent Eddie Valero faces challenges from Dinuba teacher Kelly Culver and Dinuba business owner Scott Harness in District 4.
In Kings County, farmer relations manager Martín Chávez and Edward Neal are challenging incumbent Joe A. Neves in District 1. The District 4 candidates are Rusty Robinson and Alicia Ramírez. Incumbent Doug Verboon is unopposed in District 3.
In Stanislaus County, Modesto City Councilmember Tony Madrigal is challenging incumbent Terry Withrow in District 3.
There are no Latino candidates in board of supervisors races in Merced or San Joaquín counties.
Fresno County
Two races will have the spotlight: The contest for the open sheriff’s post, and the battle for the city council district being vacated by a termed-out Esmeralda Soria.
Fresno Deputy Police Chief Mark Salazar is facing Fresno County Assistant Sheriff John Zanoni.
Educator Eliseo Gamiño will face Fresno County Assistant Superintendent Michelle Cantwell-Copher for the superintendent position. Darren Miller is also in the running.
Óscar J. García is unopposed for re-election as county auditor.
In the council race, State Center Community College District trustee Annalisa Perea’s competition includes former councilmember Mike Briggs and former council candidate Cary Catalano. Jeremy M. Preis is also a candidate.
Council incumbents Miguel Arias (District 3), Luis Chávez (District 5) and Nelson Esparza (District 7) are all facing challengers.
Madera County
Latino candidates include Jorge Torres for assessor, incumbent Rebecca Martínez for clerk/recorder, and Rubén Mendoza who is challenging incumbent Sheriff/Coroner Tyson Pogue.
Merced County
Incumbent superintendent Steve Tietjen is being challenged by Alberto López Velarde, a principal in the Lodi Unified School District.
San Joaquín County
The three Stockton City Council races include Michelle Padilla (District 1) and Brando Villapudua (District 6) among the candidates.
Kings County
There are no Latino candidates in the races for assessor, district attorney, sheriff, and superintendent races.
Esta historia fue publicada originalmente el 23 de marzo de 2022, 1:52 p. m..