FRESNO, Calif. – Brian Pacheco says he had no intention to leave the Fresno County Board of Supervisors during the 2026 midterm election cycle to run for state office.
But a phone call from Robert Rivas, speaker of the California State Assembly, changed the fourth-generation dairy farmer’s plans.
“I wasn’t looking to vacate this seat,” Pacheco said during a recent interview. “But I was told by [Rivas] when he reached out to me to consider running, that there’s not one bona fide farmer in the 80-member legislature.”
Pacheco’s decision to exit the county office and run for state Assembly proved fortuitous.
The moderate Democrat trounced Republican Mike Murphy, the former mayor of Merced, in the race to represent Assembly District 27.
With more than half of the ballots counted, Pacheco has received 63.3% of the vote compared to Murphy’s 36.7%.
“I’m honored that the voters across Merced, Fresno, and Madera counties chose me to fight for them in Sacramento,” Pacheco wrote on Facebook. “I am going to Sacramento for one thing only – to fight for the Valley’s fair share and get things done.”
Even though a state assembly member carries more prestige than a county supervisor, Pacheco said he agonized over the decision for several days.
There were practical considerations. Serving in Sacramento means more travel and more time away from his dairy operation. There were also political considerations. Fresno County supervisors aren’t subject to term limits, while state legislatures can serve a maximum of 12 years. And there were financial considerations. Pacheco will be taking a pay cut of roughly $20,000 in his new position.
“I’ve met a lot of candidates throughout the state, and they say ‘You gave up your supervisor job to run for the assembly? What are you thinking?’ ” Pacheco said.
The decision, Pacheco said, came down to the perspective he would bring to Sacramento as a full-time farmer who raises 1,500 cows outside Kerman.
“There are members from farm families, and there are members that do a little farming on the side,” Pacheco said. “But I do this full time, 12 months, 365 days. That’s the difference.”
Pacheco said he occasionally bristled when state politicians passed laws that directly affected farmers without understanding all the ramifications.
“I did consider this long and hard,” he added. “But when I heard there wasn’t one farmer in the legislature, I’ve never been one to sit back.”
Fresno State political science professor Lisa Bryant said the “sole farmer” responsibility is a lot of weight for Pacheco to bear.
“To think about all of the bills and legislation that impact the agriculture sector and farmers in particular, I think he is going to become what we call a surrogate representative,” Bryant told KVPR. “A lot of farmers are not going to have that representative in their district so he’s probably going to get a lot of contact from outside his own district, so he has sort of a double burden to carry.
“I think it’s important for there to be a voice for an industry that’s so foundational and fundamental for the California economy.”
Fresno County maintained its position as the No. 1 agriculture county in the U.S. According to the latest crop report, the county produced a record $9.6 billion in 2025 across 300 farm commodities.
Pacheco’s large dairy operation is included in that total. Only now he’ll be planted in the state capitol.
“I’ve never been one to be afraid of a challenge,” he said. “I’m willing to do what it takes to represent the entire Valley and focus on ag and water in the state legislature.”
Other state Assembly races
- Fresno City Councilmember Annalisa Perea won easily in District 31, which covers south central Fresno County and much of the city of Fresno. With 54% of the votes counted, Perea, a Democrat, is outpacing Republican Jim Polsgrove by a margin of 67.4% to 32.6%.
- Assemblywoman Alexandra Macedo leads in her bid for re-election in District 33, which includes Kings County, western Tulare County and a small piece of Fresno County. With 62% of the ballots counted, the Republican has 51.9% of the vote compared to 48.1% for Democrat Hipolito Angel Cerros.
- Bakersfield City Councilmember Andrae Gonzales is the projected winner in District 35 with 68.3% of the vote compared to 31.7% for Republican Saul Ayon. The district covers northwestern Kern County.
- Republican Charles Frederick Hughes is ahead in District 34 with 52.6% of the vote compared to 47.4% for Democrat Randall Putz. The district includes southeastern Kern County.
- In District 8, which encompasses parts of seven counties including Fresno, Madera and Mariposa and the city of Clovis, Republican David Tangipa ran unopposed.
- In District 32, which includes eastern Tulare County and part of Kern County, Republican David Couch ran unopposed.
- Republican incumbent Juan Alanis ran unopposed in District 22, which includes northern Merced County.
State Senate races
- Assemblywoman Esmeralda Soria, a Democrat, is well ahead of Republican Darin DuPont in District 14, which includes parts of Fresno, Madera and Merced counties. With 56% of ballots counted, Soria has 64.2% of the vote. Incumbent Anna Caballero is termed out.
- Republican Alexandra Duarte leads Democrat Jaron Brandon in District 4, which spans parts of 13 counties including Madera, Mariposa and Merced. The wife of former Congressman John Duarte has 52.1% of the vote compared to Brandon’s 47.9% with 75% of the ballots counted. Incumbent Marie Alvarado-Gil lost in the primary.
- Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig is headed to Sacramento to represent District 14, which includes parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kern Counties. The Republican is outpacing Libertarian William Brown with 63.6% of the vote. Incumbent Shannon Grove is termed out.
- Democrat incumbent Melissa Hurtado won re-election in District 16, which includes Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kern Counties. Hurtado has 60.3% of the vote compared to 39.7% for Republican Guillermo Asuncion Gonzalez.
