Stockton and San Joaquin County voters will help decide two California State Assembly races in the June 2 primary.
One district covers most of the city, while the other includes a portion of Stockton along with Lodi, Manteca, and parts of Stanislaus County. Both races feature multiple candidates, and in one case, an incumbent is facing notable pushback from local party leaders.
Assembly District 13
Assembly District 13 includes most of Stockton, as well as Tracy and Mountain House. Because the district covers the majority of the city, the outcome of this race will directly shape who represents most Stockton residents in Sacramento on issues such as public safety, housing, and economic development.
The district is currently represented by Rhodesia Ransom, D-Tracy, who won election in 2024. Ransom previously served on the Tracy City Council and worked as executive director of a local nonprofit focused on mentoring and mental health services for children.
Ransom is seeking a second term and faces three challengers in the primary: Republicans Tom Patti and Ali Jafri; and a third candidate, Eliza Dy, who is running with no party preference.
Patti, a former San Joaquin County Supervisor, is considered one of the stronger challengers in the race due to his high local name recognition. He lost in the 2024 mayoral election to current Mayor Christina Fugazi, and has emphasized his experience in county government to position himself as the candidate focused on local issues and practical governance.
He argues that California is heading toward a fiscal crisis and that voters need to demand better results.
“California’s teetering on the brink of disaster,” Patti said. “Irrespective of party politics, we have to start looking at results. If people don’t wake up and look for balance in their state government, we’re going to be in a massive crisis in the near future.”
He has also argued that Sacramento Democrats, including Ransom, have created an environment of excessive regulation that hurts local businesses. He gave examples of what he described as heavy-handed rules, such as new labeling requirements that force retailers to remove products from shelves even when the items themselves have not changed.
Patti said his eight years as a county supervisor give him a stronger understanding of the challenges facing San Joaquin County residents than his opponent.
“Every decision we made was directly involved in representing some 800,000 people in San Joaquin County,” he said. “Being a business owner, being an employer, and working with hundreds of companies and employees… gives me an incredible level of experience to understand what people are going through.”
In a statement released by her campaign, Ransom said “My office and I have been focused on delivering for residents since day one. I am happy to share that we have recovered over $1 million dollars through constituent services for San Joaquin County families. It is an honor to represent our community and I look forward to continuing to serve.”
Patti’s fellow Republican Jafri, meanwhile, has highlighted his background as a farmer and accountant. Dy has focused on education and youth issues during her campaign.
Assembly District 9
Assembly District 9 includes a portion of Stockton along with Lodi, Manteca, and much of Stanislaus County. Stockton voters who live in the eastern and southern parts of the city will cast ballots in this race, and the winner will help influence regional issues such as water reliability for agriculture and economic development that affect San Joaquin County.
The seat is held by Heath Flora, a Republican who has represented the area since 2016 and currently serves as the Assembly’s Republican Leader.
Flora is facing significant opposition from within his own party in his bid for re-election; local Republican leaders in both Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties have endorsed his primary challenger, Jim Shoemaker, instead of the incumbent.
Recent reporting has highlighted that some local party activists believe Flora has been largely absent from the district. Stanislaus County Republican Party Chairman Joel Campos told The Modesto Focus that elected officials and constituents said Flora and his staff have been “virtually nonexistent in the district for years.”
San Joaquin County Republican Party Chairman David Cushman said of Shoemaker, “Jim is present, a visible force, going around helping people for many years.” He added, “People don’t feel the same about Heath.”
Shoemaker, a businessman from Clements who is making his third attempt at elected office, believes he would provide steadier leadership to the district.
“What I I learned, from one end of the district to the other, was they want representation,” Shoemaker said. “You can see the elected officials and others who have endorsed. I didn’t get those guys, because I’m the greatest guy on Earth. I got them because they know I will show up and represent.”
Flora faces several other challengers in the primary, including Republicans Tami Nobriga and Brandon Owen, as well as Democrats Matthew Adams and Michael Perez.