Two Republicans, one Democrat lead races for Central Valley State Senate seats
Two Republicans have solid leads in their bids for California State Senate seats to represent districts in the central San Joaquin Valley — including one challenging a Democratic incumbent.
Nathan Magsig (R-Clovis), a Fresno County supervisor, was the clear frontrunner to replace Sen. Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), who represents Senate District 12, a Republican-leaning district which includes foothill communities across Fresno, Kern and Tulare counties, as well as the cities of Visalia and Bakersfield. Grove is running to represent District 1 on the State Board of Equalization.
Magsig said he was “very excited to be in the runoff.”
“I appreciate the support of my family and the public in this race,” he said.
Assemblymember Esmeralda Soria started election night with a narrow lead in the 14th District that straddles parts of Merced, Madera and Fresno counties. The Senate District 14 seat is currently held by Sen. Anna Caballero (D-Merced), who is vying to replace Democrat Fiona Ma as state treasurer.
Soria said in a statement she was “grateful and humbled to have earned the trust of the Central Valley.”
“It has been the honor of my life to fight for our communities and deliver real wins for the Valley. I am ready to continue that work as the next State Senator for the 14th District. I have always been and will continue to be a leader who put the Valley first. I will be a Senator for everyone - Democrats, Republicans, business, and workers. I look forward to working closely with everyone to do what matters most, from water to housing to lowering the cost of living,” she said.
In the south Valley, Republican Guillermo Gonzalez, a small business owner, led the race to represent the Democratic-leaning Senate District 16, which includes parts of Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties. The seat is currently held by incumbent Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Bakersfield).
The top two candidates will face off in the November general election.
Here’s a breakdown of the results.
State Senate District 12
As of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Magsig (R-Clovis) secured 64.6% of the vote, with close to 13,000 votes counted, according to California Secretary of State records.
Libertarian social worker and businessman William Brown Jr. had captured 25.1% of the vote, while Louis Anthony Miramontes, a Republican from Visalia and aviation mechanic, had secured roughly 13.3%.
State Senate District 14
Soria, a Democrat from Fresno, pulled down 44.1% of the vote as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, with 64,451 votes counted.
Republican Darin DuPont, a Merced City councilman and water attorney, secured 42.9% of the vote. Esmeralda Hurtado, a Democrat and Sanger council member, had acquired 13%.
Soria, who represents the 27th assembly district, is a former Fresno City councilwoman and adjunct professor. She currently serves as chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, as well as on the Governmental Organization, Banking & Finance and the Economic Development, Growth & Household Impact committees. According to California Secretary of State data, she has raised $1.38 million for her campaign.
Senate District 16
As of 10:25 p.m. Tuesday, Gonzalez secured 49.3% of the votes, with 51,563 votes counted, according to California Secretary of State records.
Incumbent Melissa Hurtado, a Bakersfield Democrat, secured 36.3% of the vote as the initial results came in. Democratic challenger Manpreet Kaur, the vice mayor of Bakersfield, had acquired 14.4%
“I’m cautiously optimistic, a little exhausted and beyond thankful for the love and support across SD16,” Hurtado said in a statement to The Bee Tuesday night.
Hurtado is running to keep her seat in the state Senate, where she is focused on issues related to water, agriculture and access to healthcare in rural communities. Before becoming the youngest woman elected to the California State Senate in 2018, she served on Sanger City Council. She’s endorsed by the California Democratic Party, Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains, and several fellow state senators and labor groups.
Kaur is a city planner and a professor at CSU Bakersfield. She also founded the Kern County chapter of the Jakara Movement. Her priorities include bringing down prices for utilities and groceries, protecting renters and building more homes, free childcare and bringing more jobs to the Valley. Kaur’s endorsements include Courage California and Randy Villegas, a candidate for Congressional District 22.
Gonzalez is running on a platform to improve quality of life for Valley residents, protect natural resources, housing accessibility and defense of faith, family and community, according to his campaign. He’s endorsed by U.S. Reps. David Valadao (R-Hanford) and Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield), Grove, Macedo, Tangipa and others.
This story was originally published June 2, 2026 at 9:30 PM with the headline "Two Republicans, one Democrat lead races for Central Valley State Senate seats."
