The Fresno Chamber of Commerce’s Political Action Committee has announced its endorsements for a slate of local and regional candidates it says will support economic growth, reduce regulatory burdens and strengthen the region’s business climate ahead of the upcoming election. Chamber leaders said the endorsed candidates demonstrated a commitment to policies that encourage investment, job creation and long-term stability for businesses throughout the Central Valley.
Jim Costa, U.S. House, District 21
Costa maintains strong ties to agriculture, supports water and infrastructure projects, and is bipartisan in his approach to economic issues that affect the Central Valley. Business groups have praised his backing of trade policies, job growth initiatives and long-standing advocacy for Valley industries.
Nathan Magsig, State Senate, District 12
Magsig has consistently prioritized economic development, water storage, infrastructure and agriculture, all of which are key drivers of Fresno County’s economy. His background in business, construction and local government, along with his advocacy for keeping businesses open and reducing regulatory barriers for employers, is another strength.
Esmeralda Soria, State Senate, District 14
Soria has focused on economic development, infrastructure investment, agriculture and job creation while representing the Central Valley in both the Fresno City Council and State Assembly. She supports small businesses and workforce training, along with efforts to secure funding for housing, healthcare and public safety projects that affect Fresno’s economy.
Brian Pacheco, State Assembly, District 27
Pacheco has deep roots in agriculture, supports water and infrastructure projects, and has long-standing relationships with Fresno County’s farming and business communities. He has experience as a farmer, dairyman and county supervisor, along with a focus on economic growth, affordability and reducing barriers for Valley employers.
Annalisa Perea, State Assembly, District 31
Perea has focused on economic development, housing production, infrastructure improvements and local job creation in Fresno. She has a background in urban planning and a history of streamlining development to support small businesses across the Central Valley.
Mike Karbassi, Fresno County Board of Supervisors, District 1
Karbassi’s strengths are in economic development, public safety, housing growth and infrastructure improvements that help Fresno County attract investment and create jobs. He has experience as a small business owner and Fresno City Council president, and he prioritizes practical governance and reducing barriers to growth in west Fresno County communities.
Margaret Mims, Fresno County Board of Supervisors, District 4
Mims has a history of emphasizing public safety, agriculture, water policy and protecting taxpayers, issues many local employers view as essential to economic stability and growth. She has a long record in county leadership and has garnered support from agricultural and development interests, who argue that Mims understands the operational needs of Fresno County businesses and farming communities.
Fernando Alvarez, Fresno City Council, District 3
Alvarez is a business-friendly candidate focused on downtown revitalization, small business growth, public safety and neighborhood investment in southwest Fresno. His work in community development and his emphasis on reducing blight, improving infrastructure and creating economic opportunities for local residents and entrepreneurs are his feature strengths.
Nav Gurm, Fresno City Council, District 7
Gurm’s background as a small business owner, public affairs consultant, and former city hall staffer gives him a strong understanding of what it takes to support local economic growth and streamline city government. He emphasizes infrastructure investment, small business development, and reducing permitting barriers as key priorities for strengthening Fresno’s economy.
Michele Cantwell-Copher, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools
Cantwell-Copher has helped expand partnerships between schools, industry and workforce programs that connect education to Fresno County’s labor needs. Her focus on economic development initiatives, including participation in regional growth efforts like Fresno DRIVE, complements her emphasis on building a skilled workforce to support local employers.
The Chamber’s PAC has also endorsed the following judge candidates for the bench.
Marc Kapetan, Fresno County Superior Judge, Office 3
Kapetan brings 34 years of courtroom experience in criminal and civil law, along with a reputation for practical, common-sense decision-making grounded in local Fresno legal practice. With endorsements from several local law enforcement, business, and civic leaders, Kapetan will be a fair, experienced, and stable presence on the bench.
Ashley Paulson, Fresno County Superior Judge, Office 6
Paulson brings 11 years of experience as a prosecutor handling serious violent crime cases, demonstrating the experience and stability the courts need to support a safe environment for economic growth. She was awarded the Courageous Prosecutor of the Year Award from the Fresno Rotary Club for her work on the Violent Crime Unit at the Fresno District Attorney’s Office.
Jeff Hammerschmidt, Fresno County Superior Judge, Office 7
Hammerschmidt has nearly four decades of experience as an attorney, including 12 years as the Deputy District Attorney in Fresno. He has a history of advising law enforcement on complex cases and has the endorsement of many in the law enforcement arena, having served as Senior Legal Advisor to the Fresno Police Department.
Noelle Pebet, Fresno County Superior Judge, Office 9
Pebet is a strong judicial candidate because of her extensive experience as a Fresno County Superior Court Commissioner, including handling felony cases in the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. She was assigned to the Multi-Agency Gang Enforcement Unit, serving as lead prosecutor, and spent four years in the Homicide Unit prosecuting serious and special-circumstance cases. She brought to trial numerous complex criminal cases with a high rate of success.
Jennifer L. Smith, Fresno County Superior Judge, Office 12
A career prosecutor with the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office for almost 30 years, Smith’s experience includes misdemeanor and felony juvenile cases and adult felony cases. She also has experience in conducting preliminary hearings and jury trials, and she served as a Judge Pro Tem from 2017 to 2020 before the pandemic was declared.
Jennifer L. Hamilton, Fresno County Superior Judge, Office 14
Hamilton has practiced law for 26 years in the Fresno Superior Courts. Prior to joining the Superior Court, she was a prosecutor in the District Attorney’s office for nearly a decade as well as a member of the Fresno Prosecutors’ Association Executive Board for three years.
For more updates on Fresno County development and business initiatives, stay connected with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce.
