The race to lead central and southeast Fresno is narrowing to two candidates, with attorney and political consultant Nav Gurm taking a strong lead as community organizer Ariana Martinez Lott follows closely.
Gurm, bolstered by high-profile endorsements ranging from Sen. Adam Schiff to Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, currently has 40.28% of the vote to Martinez Lott’s 35.33%. Martinez Lott is backed by labor leader Dolores Huerta and many progressive groups.
Businessman AJ Rassamni has 15.36% of the vote at the time of publication.
Fresno City Council District 7 candidate Nav Gurm (center) awaits results at his joint campaign party with Fresno City Council District 5 candidate Danielle Parra (center in red) and Fresno City Council District 3 candidate Fernando Alvarez (standing with glasses) at Sequoia Brewing on June 2, 2026. (GV Wire/Edward Smith)
Gurm told GV Wire he was excited to be in first place.
“We left it all out there, we really left no stone unturned and worked really hard,” Gurm said.
Martinez Lott did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Gurm Outraises Martinez Lott
Current representative Fresno City Council President Nelson Esparza is termed out. Esparza has endorsed Gurm and is currently running for Board of Equalization.
The most recent filings show Gurm outraising Martinez Lott by nearly 3-to-1, reporting $120,000 to her $47,000 as of May 16.
Martinez Lott has largely relied on smaller individual donors, while Gurm’s funding comes from a bevy of donors, ranging from individuals to unions and corporations.
The district includes large portions of Blackstone Avenue, Manchester Center, Fresno along Highway 180 and east Fresno.
The district would likely grow if the city approves a development plan known as the Southeast Development Area. Candidates have had mixed reactions to the plan, with Martinez Lott taking a firm stance against SEDA while Gurm has said he supports a plan that would not take away from the interior.
Updated results are available at this link.
Fresno District 7 Map (fresno.gov)