Saying that conservative candidates should not run against each other, former Hughson Mayor Jeramy Young has suspended his campaign for the District 4 state senate seat and endorsed Alexandra Duarte, one of two Republicans still in the race.
Young, the chief of police in Livermore, was mounting a primary challenge to incumbent Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil (R-Jackson), who won the seat as a Democrat in 2022 but changed her political affiliation midway through the term.
Young’s departure leaves Duarte and Democrat Jaron Brandon, a Tuolumne County Supervisor, as the lone challengers to Alvarado-Gil.
“I believe that good conservative candidates should not run against each other when our shared mission is bigger than any one campaign,” Young said in a statement. “We need to unify behind a strong candidate who can earn the trust of voters and win in November.
“… I believe one of the best measures of any candidate is their actions, not their words, and a voting record matters because it shows who can be trusted to consistently support conservative values when it counts. That is why my focus will be on helping Alexandra Duarte win this election so we have a conservative voice we can trust in Sacramento.”
Duarte, who has never held elected office and has no discernible voting record, needs to be one of the top two vote recipients in the June 2 primary to advance to the Nov. 3 general election.
“Chief Young’s endorsement gives voters a clear conservative Republican choice for state senate,” said Duarte, the wife of former District 13 congressman John Duarte. “Jeramy is a proven leader in our community, and I’m honored to have his support.”
Alvarado-Gil drew fire from the left in August 2024 when she bolted the Democratic party. Now, she’s drawing heat from the right over her conservative bona fides.
“Candidate Duarte feels Young’s departure ‘gives voters a clear conservative Republican choice for state Senate?’” said Alvarado-Gil. “Yes, and that choice is clearly me. I’m the only candidate endorsed by local Assemblyman Juan Alanis (R-Modesto) and has an A rating from both the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and California Rifle and Pistol Association.”
District 4 is the largest in the state, area-wise, hugging the Nevada border from north of Lake Tahoe (close to Reno) to south of Death Valley (not far from Las Vegas), then jutting out toward the Santa Clara County line (near Silicon Valley). It is bigger than 10 U.S. states, and includes all or pieces of 13 counties, eight different area codes, 16 tribal nations, and more than 1 million total constituents. That's nearly twice the constituency of the average assembly district, and a third more than the average congressional district.
Four years ago, Alvarado-Gil battled nine other candidates during the open primary, when she hit the electoral jackpot. Eight Republicans fought amongst themselves and split more than 130,000 votes. That cleared a path for Alvarado-Gil and Democrat Tim Robertson — they split 90,000 votes — to advance to the general election and deny the ruby-red district a Republican option.
The clash between GOP incumbent and challenger may create a wider opening to the general election for Brandon, the only Democrat in the fray.
“I respect Jeramy, and I’d have a beer with him any day,” said Brandon. “Like me, he has district roots, local government experience, and a strong public-safety record. I am disappointed he left, leaving now a race between myself, a partisan idealogue and a flip-flopper. Those are good odds for the ‘reasonable middle’ that actually want to see get stuff done.”
District 4 — which includes all or parts of Stanislaus, Merced, Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Nevada, Placer and Tuolumne counties — is one of six of the state’s 40 senate districts that has more registered Republicans than Democrats. Overall, it has more than 600,000 registered voters, but only about 220,000 turned out four years ago to vote in the primary, while some 260,000 voted in the general election.
Danbom exits D-5 Congressional race, endorses Masuda
Turlock Democrat Paul Danbom, who less than four weeks ago entered the race to unseat Rep. Tom McClintock (R-El Dorado Hills) in the 5th Congressional District, has bowed out of the fray and endorsed fellow Democrat Michael Masuda.
“After deep reflection and conversations with my family and supporters, I have decided that the best way to serve the people of the 5th district is to ensure we have a unified front heading into the primary,” Danbom said in a statement. “Our district has been overlooked for too long, and we cannot afford a fractured vote if we intend to bring real leadership back to our community.”
Danbom cited Masuda’s background as a former foreign affairs officer for the U.S. State Department, his campaign’s momentum, and shared policy goals as the reasons for his endorsement.
“Paul Danbom has been a class act throughout this campaign,” said Masuda. “His commitment to the Central Valley and the foothills is undeniable, and I’m honored to have his trust as we work to build a district that works for everyone.”
The 5th district is listed as a solidly Republican, according to the Cook Political Report, with McClintock having collected more than 61 percent of the vote in each of the last two elections against Democrat Mike Barkley.
