Downtown Fresno is seen from above during sunset last year. The June 2 primary features statewide, congressional, legislative, county and city races, with ballots beginning to arrive in mailboxes May 4.<\/p>\n
\u00a0CRAIG KOHLRUSS<\/p>\n
\u00a0ckohlruss@fresnobee.com<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s the slate of races, candidates and endorsements important to Central Valley voters for the June 2 election.<\/p>\n
Ballots for the June 2 primary are arriving in mailboxes across the Central Valley and California. While some high-profile races are drawing broad attention, much of what\u2019s on the ballot is closer to home, including legislative seats and city and county leadership races that could influence public policy for years. Statewide, certain races could redefine the political landscape because of Proposition 50\u2019s passage. This guide breaks down the major races and issues, offering context and key details to help you make informed choices before Election Day.<\/p>\n
Statewide races Governor <\/p>\n
Eight major candidates are competing in a crowded, high-stakes race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom. A late-stage debate and recent shakeups could reshape the volatile field before voting begins.<\/p>\n
Lt. Governor <\/p>\n
Five viable candidates with low name recognition are vying in the primary for lieutenant governor, a largely ceremonial role. Fundraising strength and high-profile endorsements could determine which two hopefuls advance.<\/p>\n
Secretary of State <\/p>\n
The Secretary of State race features an incumbent Democrat with a clear advantage in a heavily blue state. The office oversees elections and business filings, and has served as a springboard to higher office.<\/p>\n
Attorney General <\/p>\n
Three candidates are competing to become California\u2019s attorney general, the state\u2019s top law enforcement official. The position carries broad legal authority and frequently places its holder at the center of major political and policy fights.<\/p>\n
State Treasurer <\/p>\n
Six candidates are running for state treasurer, who manages California\u2019s finances and investment portfolios. The next officeholder will help navigate budget deficits and fund major infrastructure and public programs.<\/p>\n
State Controller <\/p>\n
Incumbent controller Malia Cohen faces two challengers in a low-profile race. The office oversees state spending, audits agencies and will confront payroll system issues.<\/p>\n
State Superintendent of Public Instruction <\/p>\n
Eight candidates are competing for state superintendent of public instruction, a nonpartisan role shaping education policy. The next schools chief could see the job\u2019s authority reduced under a proposed overhaul by Newsom.<\/p>\n
Insurance Commissioner <\/p>\n
More than 10 candidates are competing for insurance commissioner, a high-pressure role overseeing a troubled market. Frustration over rising costs and coverage gaps has made it one of the most crowded statewide races.<\/p>\n
Board of Equalization, 1st District <\/p>\n
Voters will choose a new Board of Equalization member for a sprawling district covering much of inland California. The board retains a limited tax oversight role, and one candidate holds a clear fundraising edge.<\/p>\n
Congress 13th House District <\/p>\n
Incumbent Rep. Adam Gray faces two Republican challengers in a closely watched Central Valley swing district. Despite a Democratic tilt after redistricting, the race remains competitive and nationally targeted.<\/p>\n
20th House District <\/p>\n
Three challengers \u2014 including a Democrat and two no-party-preference candidates \u2014 are running against Rep. Vince Fong in the heavily Republican district spanning Clovis and Bakersfield.<\/p>\n
21st House District <\/p>\n
Several challengers from both parties are running against longtime Rep. Jim Costa in a Central Valley district spanning Fresno and Tulare counties. Costa leads in fundraising, with the closest Republican trailing significantly.<\/p>\n
22th House District <\/p>\n
Rep. David Valadao faces two Democratic challengers in a closely watched Central Valley battleground, where shifting voter registration has kept the race competitive despite the Republican incumbent’s fundraising advantage.<\/p>\n
Legislature 12th Senate District <\/p>\n
Three candidates are running to replace Sen. Shannon Grove in a foothill district spanning parts of Fresno, Kern and Tulare counties, with a well-funded Republican supervisor leading the race.<\/p>\n
14th Senate District <\/p>\n
Three candidates are competing for an open seat covering parts of Fresno, Madera and Merced counties, with a Democratic assemblymember holding a dominant fundraising advantage.<\/p>\n
16th Senate District <\/p>\n
Three candidates are running to represent parts of Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties, where incumbent Melissa Hurtado faces Democrat Manpreet Kaur and Republican Guillermo Gonzalez.<\/p>\n
8th Assembly District <\/p>\n
Republican David Tangipa is running unopposed for reelection in a district that encompasses parts of the Central Valley and the Sierra. The first-term lawmaker has emerged as a vocal critic of Democratic leadership.<\/p>\n
27th Assembly District <\/p>\n
Three candidates are running for an open seat spanning west Fresno, Madera and much of Merced County, where water, agriculture and economic growth are central issues, with two well-funded frontrunners.<\/p>\n
31st Assembly District <\/p>\n
Three candidates are competing for an open state Assembly seat centered in Fresno. Two Democrats lead in fundraising, with one significantly ahead, while the lone Republican has reported far less financial support.<\/p>\n
33rd Assembly District <\/p>\n
Incumbent Alexandra Macedo faces former Lindsay mayor Hipolito Cerros in a race to represent parts of Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties, with agriculture, water and public safety key issues.<\/p>\n
Local races Fresno Board of Supervisors, 1st District <\/p>\n
Six are competing for an open seat covering west Fresno neighborhoods and westside communities like Firebaugh, Kerman and Mendota, with growth, agriculture and development funding central to the race.<\/p>\n
Fresno Board of Supervisors, 4th District <\/p>\n
Five are competing for an open seat spanning rural south and southeast Fresno County, from communities like Selma, Parlier and Huron, with public safety and agriculture being central issues.<\/p>\n
Fresno City Council, 1st District <\/p>\n
Four candidates are running for an open seat covering the city’s northwest and west-central neighborhoods. Two candidates have raised six figures, while the others report minimal fundraising in the race.<\/p>\n
Fresno City Council, 3rd District <\/p>\n
Seven candidates are competing for an open seat covering downtown and southwest neighborhoods, with Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula leading fundraising in a crowded, open-field primary.<\/p>\n
Fresno City Council, 5th District <\/p>\n
Four candidates are running in southeast Fresno\u2019s District 5, where incumbent Brandon Vang faces a competitive reelection bid and holds a fundraising lead over his challengers.<\/p>\n
Fresno City Council, 7th District <\/p>\n
Four candidates are competing to replace a termed-out councilmember in east-central Fresno, where issues like aging infrastructure, homelessness responses and reinvestment along the Blackstone corridor dominate the race.<\/p>\n
Kings County Board of Supervisors <\/p>\n
Three candidates are running to replace a longtime supervisor in a Kings County district centered on Lemoore and Stratford, with water access, farming and public safety shaping the race.<\/p>\n
Tulare County Board of Supervisors <\/p>\n
Three candidates are running for the north Tulare County seat, where incumbent Eddie Valero \u2014 the board\u2019s only Latino supervisor \u2014 faces Woodlake Mayor Rudy Mendoza and ag business owner Ian Bakke.<\/p>\n
Madera County Board of Supervisors <\/p>\n
Three seats are on the June ballot, including two incumbent challenges and a four-candidate contest for an open foothill seat. Fundraising varies widely across the districts.<\/p>\n
Fresno County Superintendent of Schools <\/p>\n
Three longstanding figures in the local education scene are vying to be named the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools in the June primary election.<\/p>\n
Fresno Superior Court Judges <\/p>\n
Six contested judicial races appear on the ballot \u2014 an unusually high number driven by open seats \u2014 with commissioners, prosecutors and defense attorneys competing in typically low-profile contests.<\/p>\n
This story was originally published May 4, 2026 at 5:00 AM.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Downtown Fresno is seen from above during sunset last year. The June 2 primary features statewide, congressional, legislative,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":299455,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[112,114,113],"class_list":["post-299454","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fresno","tag-fresno","tag-fresno-headlines","tag-fresno-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299454","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=299454"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/299454\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/299455"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=299454"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=299454"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=299454"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}