Democrats and Republicans will clash in state, federal races in the Stanislaus region
The state and federal elections this year will change the political landscape in the Modesto area and Northern San Joaquin Valley.
The California Secretary of State released a certified list of candidates Thursday that clarifies who is running in the new state Assembly district for Modesto and other redrawn districts.
Voters will have plenty of choices on the June 7 primary ballot. The top two vote-getters in the open primary, regardless of party affiliation, will move on to the November election.
People are certain to watch the five-way race in the newly created Assembly District 22, which includes most of Stanislaus County and part of Merced County.
Chad Condit, the son of former Congressman Gary Condit, and Jessica Self, an attorney, are the Democrats on the ballot. Three Republicans are running: Juan Alanis, a sheriff’s sergeant, Joel Gutierrez Campos, a regional planner, and Guadalupe “Lupita” Salazar, a mother and farmer.
Alanis shut down his campaign for Stanislaus County sheriff to run for the Assembly seat. Campos is endorsed by the Republican Party of Stanislaus County.
In one exception to the crowded races, Assemblyman Heath Flora, R-Ripon, is running unopposed in Assembly District 9 for another term in the Legislature. The district includes portions of San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Sacramento counties.
Former Congressman George Radanovich of Mariposa will try to capture the state Senate District 4 seat for the GOP. He has competition from five other Republicans: Jolene Daly, a mental health therapist of Modesto; Steven Bailey, a former El Dorado County judge; Michael Gordon, an educator from El Dorado Hills; Jack Griffith, a retired combat engineer of Turlock; and Jeff McKay, a former Ceres councilman and business owner.
Also vying for the seat are Democrats Marie Alvarado-Gil, a school administrator from Amador County, and Tim Robertson, director of the Modesto-based North Valley Labor Federation. Stanislaus is wrapped into Senate District 4 along with Tuolumne, Calaveras and other mountain counties.
Harder seeks office in another district
Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, will depart from much of the scene after representing a district largely focused on Modesto and Stanislaus County.
Harder is hoping to represent District 9 in the House of Representatives, which includes most of San Joaquin County and small pieces of Contra Costa and Stanislaus counties. The primary will feature three other Democrats, Harpreet Singh Chima, a union organizer, Karena Apple Feng, and Kahlid Jafri, an engineer and farmer.
Republican candidates are San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti, Jonathan Madison, an attorney and business owner, and Jim Shoemaker, a Lodi business owner. Mark Andrews, a business owner, is running as an independent.
Adam Gray runs for congress
State Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, is running for the House of Representatives in District 13, which takes in Merced County and portions of Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Madera and Fresno counties. He’s competing with Democrat Phil Arballo, a Fresno business owner, and Republicans John Duarte, a Hughson farmer and businessman, David Giglio, a Madera teacher and business owner, and Diego Javier Martinez, who owns a bail bond business.
Six candidates are vying for the congressional seat in District 5, which includes Tuolumne County, part of Stanislaus, and Calaveras, Mariposa and other counties. The GOP-laden ballot will include Congressman Tom McClintock and fellow Republicans Nathan Magsig, a Fresno county supervisor, David Mann, a physician, and Kelsten Charles Obert, a Modesto businessman.
Michael Barkley, a Manteca lawyer and accountant, is the lone Democrat in the District 5 race. Another candidate, Steve Wozniak of Modesto, has no party preference.
California candidates for the House of Representatives must be state residents but don’t have to reside in their respective districts.
