Perea\u2019s brother Henry T. Perea previously held the seat from 2010-2015, but left his final term a year early to pursue policy advocacy and lobbying positions with the pharmaceutical and oil industries<\/a>.<\/p>\n Also in the race is Jim Polsgrove, a Republican and retired engineering technician, as well as Sandra Celedon, a public health nonprofit director and progressive Democrat endorsed by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and the Working Families Party.<\/p>\n Political strategists and campaign finance experts say there\u2019s likely a disproportionate amount of independent expenditure money in this competitive race because the longtime incumbent is vacating the seat, and there\u2019s an opportunity to influence what kind of candidate will potentially be in office for up to twelve years.<\/p>\n An independent expenditure is a type of expense on communications that advocates for or against a candidate without coordination with the candidate. Under state law, there are no limits on contributions made to independent expenditure committees.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat you\u2019re witnessing is a once-in-a-decade turnover in the legislature,\u201d political strategist Mike Madrid said. Madrid, a partner at the Grassroots Lab political consulting firm, said he was involved in the campaign to elect Arambula to the seat in 2016.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd in a place like the Valley, you have the opportunity to have a very different type of Democrat that\u2019s much more aligned with business groups and employer groups because of the economic needs in the Valley. And businesses need those Democratic votes,\u201d Madrid said.<\/p>\n Mason Herron, creator of the campaign finance platform The Ballot Book<\/a>, said that other state races have much higher total spending, both in terms of independent expenditure spending and direct contributions, such as the $11 million in IE spending on the 67th assembly seat in southern California. He estimated the $2.5 million total IE spending for the 31st district seat was about 10th or 11th place compared to all other statewide races.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s still notable, I would say,\u201d Herron said.<\/p>\n When asked about the IE spending, Perea emphasized the community support behind her and called out the \u201coutside money\u201d behind Celedon\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n \u201cOur campaign is fueled by the people who actually live, work, and raise their families right here in District 31,\u201d Perea\u2019s campaign spokesperson Haley Townes said in a statement.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile my opponent has relied on out-of-town cash from special interest groups since the beginning of her campaign, our momentum comes from the ground up. You can\u2019t fake local trust and no amount of outside money can replace the real voices of our community,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n Since March 2025, Perea has raised $584,847 in direct contributions made up of 209 contributions from a broad base of PACs, business groups, labor groups and individuals, according to state data.<\/p>\n Celedon said these industry groups know she\u2019s the type of candidate that will stand up to them, which is why they\u2019re supporting her opponent. Her campaign has sent multiple mailers calling out the more than $1 million spent by corporations to elect Perea, saying she is \u201cbacked by billion-dollar corporations making life more expensive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn politics, the money tells you the story,\u201d Celedon said. \u201cThat is why they\u2019re working so hard to keep me out of Sacramento, because I am running to fight for working-class people,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The California Working Families Party, as well as labor, youth and environmental-backed PACs, have spent $132,084 on independent expenditures in support of Celedon\u2019s campaign, according to state records. She has raised nearly $294,000 from 583 direct contributions.<\/p>\n Herron noted there\u2019s an additional $469,000 in support of Celedon\u2019s campaign that he said was filed on the wrong form. Celedon\u2019s campaign said these expenses made on her behalf last year from health and environmental groups.<\/a><\/p>\n Meanwhile, $6,239 has been spent on mailers in support of Polsgrove, who has raised about $32,000 \u2014 $25,000 of which is his own money .<\/p>\n Groups spend to elect Perea<\/p>\n According to Secretary of State data, two PACs funded by Meta and Google \u2014 California Leads and Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across California \u2014 have spent $1.26 million on independent expenditures such as advertisements and mailers in support of Perea.<\/p>\n California Leads\u2019<\/a> top funders are Meta Platforms, Google and affiliated entities and SV Angel Management, according to its website.<\/p>\n California Leads has spent more than $7.6 million on eight candidates since 2025, including three in the Central Valley: $962,000 on Perea, $1.7 million on Andrae Gonzalez, a Bakersfield Democrat running to replace Dr. Jasmeet Bains in the 35th district and $115,000 on Esmeralda Soria (D-Fresno), the 27th district assemblymember running to represent the State Senate\u2019s 14th district<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to Politico, Mobilizing Economic Transformation Across California is a super PAC funded by tech giant Meta<\/a> to support candidates for state offices \u201cwho favor AI innovation over stringent regulation.\u201d<\/p>\n The group<\/a> has spent $1.5 million on five assembly and state senate candidates since 2025, including more than $254,000 in support of Perea and $215,000 on Gonzalez.<\/p>\n Madrid said Silicon Valley companies and individuals are spending more than usual on state legislative races due to potential changes with AI policy, data center policies and the proposed wealth tax.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re looking for Democratic voices that are willing to fight for industries like those,\u201d Madrid said.<\/p>\n The California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses PAC, a group that is primarily funded by McDonald\u2019s franchise owners<\/a>, has spent nearly $384,000 on canvassers, mailers and research in support of Perea\u2019s campaign, according to state data. One of the group\u2019s top funders on its website is RLMK Inc., which runs several Central Valley-based McDonald\u2019s fast-food restaurants, according to the Visalia Times Delta<\/a>.<\/p>\n Other groups making independent expenditures of about $427,000 on behalf of Perea include an oil and gas-backed PAC, the SEIU Local 2015, the LGBT Caucus Leadership Fund and Keep California Golden, a group funded by California Association of Realtors, the California Correctional Peace Officers Association and the California Building Industry Association.<\/p>\n Roughly half a million dollars was spent on independent expenditures when Arambula ran for the seat in 2016, according to state records, and about $1.4 million was spent to support Soria in her bid for the 27th assembly seat between the 2022 primary and general elections.<\/p>\n The primary election will take place on June 2. The top two candidates will face a runoff in the general elections on November 3.<\/p>\n ![\"Assembly](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_0635.jpg\" "\\"IMG_0635.jpg\\"")
Assembly District 31 candidate Sandra Celedon sent mailers saying her fellow Democratic opponent Annalisa Perea is \u201cbacked by billion-dollar corporations making life more expensive.\u201d Melissa Montalvo Fresno Bee <\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/IMG_4927.jpg\" "\\"IMG_4927.jpg\\"")
A billboard in support of Assembly District 31 candidate Annalisa Perea at the corner of Belmont and Van Ness avenues in Fresno was paid for by Outfront Media, Inc. and affiliated entities. Business, labor and political groups have made nearly $2 million in expenditures in support of Perea\u2019s campaign. Melissa Montalvo Fresno Bee <\/p>\n![\"Assembly](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/HDO_AD31_CANDIDATES.jpg\" "\\"HDO_AD31_CANDIDATES.jpg\\"")
Assembly District 31 candidates left to right, Democrat Sandra Celedon, left, Republican Jim Polsgrove, center, and Democrat Annalisa Perea, far right, are vying for the seat held by Joaquin Arambula who will term out. Handout photos <\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Melissa_Montalvo_Headshot.jpeg\")