Brian Pacheco officially announced Tuesday that he is running for the state Assembly.

GV Wire first reported the Fresno County supervisor’s intentions last week.

“I’ve worked every day to make life easier and more affordable for the people I serve. I’m ready to bring that on-the-ground experience to the state Assembly to deliver affordability, public safety, clean, reliable water and health care access,” Pacheco, D-Kerman, said in a news release.

Pacheco replaces Madera County Supervisor Leticia Gonzalez as the Democrats’ best hope of retaining Assembly District 27. The district includes parts of Fresno, Madera, and Merced counties.

Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, is running for the state Senate.

Seat Turning Red?

Despite a Democratic registration advantage, there are signs the seat is trending toward Republicans.

Voters in the Assembly district — unchanged by the Proposition 50 vote, which only affected congressional districts — supported Donald Trump with 50.1% of the vote in the 2024 presidential election.

Pacheco will need to build name recognition in Merced County, where 53% of district voters live; 28% live in Fresno County, and 19% live in Madera County. Democrats hold an 11-point registration advantage over Republicans — 40% to 29%.

Voters elected Pacheco, a dairy farmer by trade, to the District 1 supervisor seat in 2014. He won reelection in 2018 and 2022 with limited or no opposition.

He starts his campaign with bipartisan support from Soria; Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas, D-Hollister; and Republicans Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp and former Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims. Mims is running for another supervisor seat.

Former Merced Mayor Mike Murphy, R-Merced, appears to be the other front-runner. He reported $191,417 remaining in his campaign account as of June 30.

He said he welcomes Pacheco to the race.

“I continue to focus on making life more affordable and safer for families in our valley and on securing more water storage for our farmers. Sacramento is out of balance politically and out of touch with reality. I bring a track record of common-sense results as mayor and look forward to the campaign ahead,” Murphy said.

Pacheco reported $535,697 in his supervisor campaign account as of June 30, much of which he can transfer to an Assembly run.

Gonzalez Bows Out

Gonzalez, D-Madera, bowed out Monday, saying she did not want to sacrifice time with her family. She reported $80,000 in fundraising and had the support of Rivas and other legislative Democrats.

“The travel required for a competitive Assembly campaign meant too much time away from home and from my daughter during moments I can’t replace. Missing moments when she wasn’t feeling well or seeing her reach for me through FaceTime weighed heavily on me,” Gonzalez said.

Open Supervisor Seat

Pacheco’s run for Assembly opens a supervisor seat that could be highly competitive. Several candidates have expressed interest.

Omar Hernandez, a West Hills Community College District trustee, announced he is running. He also works as an aide to Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced, who is also supporting Pacheco.

“As someone who grew up in these communities, I understand the challenges we face, and I’m committed to bringing people together to tackle them. My background in agriculture, local government and public service has prepared me to be a leader who listens, connects and acts on behalf of all residents of District 1,” Hernandez said in a statement.

Fresno nonprofit leader Eric Payne said he is also considering a run. He said several community leaders have encouraged him to enter the race.

“I’ve told them I’m taking this seriously. I’m praying about it and talking it over with my family, loved ones and neighbors as I consider the best way to serve our county,” Payne said.

Payne was a former State Center Community College District trustee, who ran afoul of campaign finance law and was fined $66,000 by the Fair Political Practices Commission in 2019.

Kerman Councilmember Gary Yep said he is exploring a run for the seat.

Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi has expressed interest, though he would have to move because he does not live within the district’s boundaries.

Another possible contender is Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco, who works as a staffer for Soria.

Firebaugh City Councilmember Felipe Perez has filed to run.

Central Unified Trustee Naindeep Singh said he remains committed to running for Fresno City Council. Fresno County Farm Bureau President Ryan Jacobsen also said he has no interest in running.

Fresno Files Environmental Lawsuit

The city of Fresno has filed a lawsuit claiming several manufacturers of a chemical are poisoning the city. In a complaint filed Nov. 3 in Fresno County Superior Court, the city alleges dangers associated with perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.

“PFAS is a forever chemical that has seeped into our soil and groundwater. We will hold accountable any company or corporation in the supply chain that manufactured, sold, distributed or used it in a way that impacted the city of Fresno and its residents. These chemicals can lead to serious health issues, including cancer,” City Attorney Andrew Janz said.

The lawsuit claims manufacturers such as 3M Company and DuPont “should have known” about the harmful effects of PFAS. Several businesses that allegedly used PFAS in the city — including the Gallo Winery facility on Olive Avenue and Mission Linen Supply — are also named as defendants.

PFAS, according to the federal NIH, has many uses, including preventing food from sticking to packaging, making carpets stain-resistant, and creating firefighting foam.

Fresno is the latest jurisdiction to file a PFAS lawsuit. Steptoe estimated 2,103 cases have been filed this year. 3M recently settled a lawsuit with water suppliers for $10.3 billion.

The city is using the Sacramento-based firm Miller & Axline. A hearing is set for March 18, 2026, before Judge Kristi Culver Kapetan.