Amidst a crowded field of primary contenders aiming to succeed long-standing Democratic Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, initial returns from Tuesday night’s tally indicate Republican Jeff Gonzalez is leading, with several Democratic candidates still competing for a place in the general election.
Primary Election Update: Assembly District 36 Race Analysis
As per figures posted on the California Secretary of State’s website, Gonzalez holds the lead with 9,034 votes, constituting 32.7% of over 27,000 votes cast in the race for Assembly District 36, encompassing the eastern Coachella Valley.
While additional votes are pending, multiple Democratic candidates remain in contention for the next spot to advance to the November election: Jose “Joey” Acuña Jr. stands in second place with 5,143 votes, or 18.6%, closely followed by Edgard Garcia with 4,584 votes, or 16.6%.
In total, the five Democratic contenders collectively secure 57% of the votes compared to the two Republicans’ 43%.
The crowded primary field emerged following Garcia’s decision not to seek re-election after representing Assembly District 36 since 2014. Garcia cited a desire to spend more time with his family after years of commuting to Sacramento. His announcement came shortly after the incumbent filing deadline.
Following California’s recent redistricting, Garcia has represented Assembly District 36, encompassing Coachella, Indio, the broader eastern Coachella Valley, and extending to eastern Riverside County towards the Arizona border. The district also covers all of Imperial County and a portion of eastern San Bernardino County. In 2022, Garcia won re-election against Republican Ian Weeks with 53.4% of the vote.
A total of seven candidates—five Democrats and two Republicans—participated in the primary. Under California’s voting system, the top two primary finishers, regardless of party, proceed to the November general election.
The Candidates
Acuña, endorsed by Garcia, is a Democrat and has served as a trustee on the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Education since 2014, with support from several Riverside County officials.
Another Democrat, Waymond Fermon, currently serves on the Indio City Council and previously served as Indio’s first Black mayor in 2022. Fermon also works as a correctional officer at Calipatria State Prison.
Among the Republican contenders, Gonzalez, a business owner and former Marine residing in Indio, has garnered notable endorsements from conservative figures.
Meanwhile, Democrat Tomas Oliva, a member of the El Centro City Council since 2018, and Republican Kalin Morse, a nonprofit director based in Westmoreland, are also vying for the Assembly seat.
Garcia, an attorney and member of the El Centro City Council since 2015, currently serves as the Imperial County district director for the League of California Cities.
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Another Democratic candidate, Eric Rodriguez, serves on the Central Union High School District Board of Trustees in El Centro.
Voter registration data indicates Democrats constitute 43.8% of the district’s registered voters, with registered Republicans at approximately 27.3%, and a notable 21.3% having no party preference.
The general election is scheduled for November 5th.