McNerney returns to politics to seek state senate seat vs. Carlos Villapudua

The final day of registration for state elections featured two members of a local political family switching races and a former congressman making a sudden entrance into a contest for state senator.

Former longtime Democratic congressman Jerry McNerney announced Friday he would be running for the California State Senate District seat being vacated by Susan Talamantes Eggman (D-Stockton), who is retiring due to term limits. He will be facing off against incumbent State Assembly member Carlos Villapudua, who was expected to run for reelection in District 13, but switch places with his wife, Edith Villapudua (D-Stockton), who originally announced a run for the senate season.

McNerney, 72, was elected to the United States Congress in 2006, and retired in 2022. Josh Harder (D-Tracy) was elected to fill the seat. The district includes San Joaquin County and the northeastern portion of Alameda County.

McNerney told Politico he sees his run for the seat as “a great opportunity to get really good work done in California.”

“I feel really strongly about the climate, about gun violence, about women’s rights and so many other things, and I believe the California state Legislature is a place where you can really get stuff done,” McNerney said.

Carlos Villapudua, 55, is in the midst of his second term in the state assembly. He was reelected in 2022 with 60 percent of the vote.Lee Neves, a consultant for Carlos Villapudua, told Stocktonia Villapudua welcomes the competition.

“We will match the assemblyman’s record of achievement against anyone,” Neves said.

Other candidates registered in the senate race are business owner Jim Shoemaker, business owner Khalid Jafri and Rhodesia Ransom, a staffer for Rep. Harder. Edith Villapudua’s move to the assembly contest is unopposed at the moment, according to the San Joaquin County Registrar of Voters’ candidate list. But because the incumbent has decided not to seek the office again, candidates have an extra five days to file.