As Esmeralda Soria and Nathan Magsig show, name recognition helps raise campaign funds.

The Democrat and Republican are running for open state Senate seats and are leading their races as prolific fundraisers.

Candidates posted fundraising totals for the first six months of 2025, as candidates emerge to represent the Central Valley in Sacramento.

Things could change if state Democrats follow through on their plan to manipulate redistricting by calling for a new map and a special election this November.

Several running for state seats in 2026 — including Soria and state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Bakersfield — ran for Congress in the past. If a Democratically leaning seat without a party incumbent becomes available, candidates could move seats again.

Soria Leads for State Senate Race

Soria, D-Fresno, raised the most out of any Central Valley candidate running for the state Legislature — $382,508 in the first six months of 2025 — for State Senate District 14. State Sen. Anna Caballero, D-Merced, is termed out after 2026 and is running for state treasurer.

Soria made a late entry into the Senate race after raising $218,600 in a re-election bid for Assembly 27. She won terms in 2022 and 2024 after serving eight years on the Fresno City Council.

Her main opponent in the state Senate race is a one-time colleague —  Fresno Councilmember Nelson Esparza, D-Fresno. When he was the only candidate, Esparza drew several endorsements. With Soria in the race, his fundraising dried up. He reported raising just $6,255, with $206,081 cash on hand.

Soria reported $338,886 cash on hand for the Senate account, with another $345,197 cash in the Assembly campaign treasury.

She also has an active legal defense fund, raising $165,101 with $30,933 in cash.

Magsig Leads Two Other Republicans

Magsig, R-Clovis, is running to replace termed-out Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield. He is a Fresno County supervisor who previously served as a Clovis city councilmember.

The $274,761 he has raised for 2025 leads the pack, as does his $446,322 cash on hand.

Also running are businessman Michael Maher, R-Kingsburg, who ran for Congress in 2022 and 2024. He raised $23,310. David Crouch, R-Bakersfield — a Kern County supervisor — raised $7,500 as a late entrant.

In Senate District 4, incumbent Marie Alvarado-Gil, R-Jackson, was outraised by her Democratic challenger, Tuolumne County Supervisor Jaron Brandon, D-Columbia.

Brandon raised $133,815 to Alvarado-Gil’s $111,532, although the latter has slightly more cash on hand.

Livermore Police Chief and former Hughson Mayor Jeramy Young, R-Hughson, is also running but did not post any financial figures.

Alvarado-Gil won the seat as a Democrat in 2022 before switching parties.

In Senate District 16, Melissa Hurtado, D-Bakersfield, is running in her third and possibly final term. She has yet to draw a challenger.

Perea, Murphy Lead Competitive Assembly Races

It’s happened before — a Perea moves from Fresno City Council to the state Assembly.

Henry T. Perea did so in 2010. Now, his sister Annlisa Perea looks to make the same move.

Annalisa is foregoing a second term on the city council to run for the Fresno-based Assembly seat. Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, is going the opposite direction — termed out of the Assembly and now running for Fresno City Council.

Perea posted $300,814 raised, with $256,666 cash on hand. That is more than Fresno Building Healthy Communities president/CEO Sandra Celedon, D-Fresno ($108,736), and former Fresno city worker James Polsgrove, R-Fresno, ($25,050).

Esmeralda Hurtado, D-Sanger, is a late entrant to the race, the state’s website shows. The Sanger city councilwoman did not post any financial figures. She and Melissa Hurtado are sisters.

In the race to replace Soria in the Assembly, Michael Murphy, R-Merced, the former Merced mayor, doubled up on fundraising against Merced City School Board member Priya Lakireddy, D-Merced.

Andrae Gonzales, D-Bakersfield, a Bakersfield city councilmember, filed to run for the seat represented by Jasmeet Bains, D-Delano. Bains is running for Congress.

David Tangipa, R-Clovis, Stan Ellis, R-Bakersfield, and Alexandra Macedo, R-Tulare, have not drawn challengers for districts 8, 32, and 33 thus far.