The list of candidates seeking to run for an open Fresno County supervisor seat continues to grow.

Supervisor Brian Pacheco announced he is running for state Assembly in 2026, leaving Supervisorial District 1 open.

Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco also announced she is running for the Board of Supervisors. She is not related to Brian Pacheco.

“I believe the families of the west side deserve strong leadership, real opportunity, and a seat at every table where decisions about our future are being made,” she said in a news release.

Pacheco is a two-term mayor, first winning the two-year office in 2022. She also works as a senior field representative for Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno.

Brian Pacheco is running for the Assembly District 27 seat Soria currently occupies. She is running for state Senate in 2026.

The Soria connection could help Maria Pacheco build her profile — and certainly her fundraising. Both Pachecos and Soria use the same campaign consultant, SL Strategy.

Kerman and the supervisor district share 8.6% of voters.

Candidates can begin collecting signatures in lieu of a filing fee on Dec. 19. The election is June 2, 2026. If no candidate receives a majority, the top two advance to the November 2026 general election.

Karbassi Running

Fresno City Councilmember Mike Karbassi also officially announced his run on Wednesday. He said the work of a supervisor is similar to serving on the council.

GV Wire reported Karbassi’s intentions last week.

Public safety is at the top of Karbassi’s agenda, along with parks and roads.

Although not a farmer, Karbassi said he supports water delivery.

Running for supervisor means two things: Karbassi would have to move, as he does not currently live in the district; and he would abandon his run for Fresno County Clerk/Registrar of Voters. He has publicly criticized incumbent James Kus.

Karbassi said he plans to move soon to a new location within both the supervisor district and his current city council district. He brushed off any “carpetbagger” label.

Fresno City Council District 2 and the supervisor district share 18% of voters.

“I’m the one who’s fought for them to have more officers patrolling their streets, more parks opening in their area, and more jobs for this community. So I stand on my record versus anyone else,” Karbassi said.

Karbassi said that although he will no longer run for clerk, supervisors have some oversight of the job through budgeting. He wants a polling place in every incorporated city.

“I am happy that Mike has found a position to run for where his political prowess can prove useful instead of a detriment. I look forward to assisting him and any other candidates running for Supervisor District 1 in 2026,” Kus told Politics 101.

Jason Carns and Alex Tavlian will run Karbassi’s campaign.

Other Possible Candidates

The only other candidate who has actually filed paperwork to run is three-term Firebaugh City Councilmember Felipe Perez. He shares 4% of constituents with the supervisor district.

Perez is the executive director of environmental nonprofit Los Promotores Comunitarios. He said he’s running because westside communities are neglected.

“The west side never get enough,” Perez said. “We are losing a lot of ag jobs, and we are not producing enough jobs for people.”

West Hills Community College District Trustee Omar Hernandez announced his intention to run earlier this week. He is also a staffer for Rep. Adam Gray, D-Merced. He is the only potential candidate with an agriculture background. Hernandez’s district shares approximately less than 2% of voters with the supervisor district.

Eric Payne, a Fresno nonprofit leader, said he is thinking about running. He is a former two-term State Center Community College District trustee.

Gary Yep, who has served in Kerman government as a councilmember and mayor since 2010, also said he is considering a run. He ran for supervisor in 2014, not advancing beyond the primary.

He is the only registered Republican among potential candidates. The others are Democrats, as is Brian Pacheco.

The seat is primarily rural, covering northwest Fresno County.

Another rumored candidate with an agriculture background is Blong Xiong. A former Fresno city councilmember, he worked as state executive director for the Farm Service Agency in the Biden administration.

Xiong finished runner-up to Brian Pacheco in 2014 for the open supervisor seat, garnering 42% of the vote.

Brian Pacheco did not return messages seeking comment. A campaign spokesperson said he is not taking interviews right now and wants to get his campaign up and running.