Election result, Assembly District 36 Primary: Analysis of Candidates, Endorsements, and Voter Dynamics”

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In the race to succeed long-serving Democratic Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia, Republican candidate Jeff Gonzalez has surged ahead in early returns, leading the crowded primary field for Assembly District 36. As per initial results released by the California Secretary of State’s office on Tuesday night, Gonzalez garnered 9,034 votes, constituting 32.7% of the over 27,000 votes cast.

Despite Gonzalez’s lead, the Democratic contenders are still fiercely competing for the remaining spot in the general election. Currently, Jose “Joey” Acuña Jr. holds second place with 5,143 votes, representing 18.6%, closely trailed by Edgard Garcia with 4,584 votes, amounting to 16.6%.

Collectively, the five Democratic candidates have secured 57% of the votes, while the two Republican candidates hold 43%.

The high number of candidates emerged after Garcia, a Coachella Democrat, announced his decision not to seek re-election last year, citing a desire to prioritize family time after years of commuting to Sacramento. His announcement came after the filing deadline for incumbents seeking re-election.

Assembly District 36, encompassing Coachella, Indio, and the broader eastern Coachella Valley, has been represented by Garcia since the latest round of redistricting. The district extends into eastern Riverside County, reaching all the way to the Arizona border, as well as covering Imperial County and a portion of eastern San Bernardino County. In 2022, Garcia won re-election with 53.4% of the vote against Republican Ian Weeks, who is now running for the 25th Congressional District.

Seven candidates, including five Democrats and two Republicans, competed in the primary. As per California’s voting system, the top two candidates, irrespective of party affiliation, will advance to the November general election.

Assembly District 36 Candidates and Voter Dynamics

The candidate enjoying the endorsement of Assemblymember Garcia is Acuña, a Democrat with a long history of service on the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Education. Acuña has secured backing from various Riverside County officials, including Supervisor V. Manuel Perez and Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez.

Another contender from the valley is Democrat Waymond Fermon, a member of the Indio City Council since 2018. Fermon, who made history as Indio’s first Black mayor in 2022, also works as a correctional officer at Calipatria State Prison in Imperial County. Initial returns on Tuesday placed Fermon at 2,363 votes, or 8.5%.

Among the Republican candidates, Gonzalez, a business owner and former Marine residing in Indio, has garnered significant endorsements from conservative figures such as U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. Gonzalez previously ran against Garcia in 2018 for Assembly District 56, where he advanced to the general election but ultimately lost by a wide margin.

Meanwhile, Democrat Tomas Oliva, a member of the El Centro City Council since 2018, is vying for the seat from Imperial County. Oliva, also serving as a senior field representative for U.S. Rep. Raul Ruiz, has gained 2,155 votes, or 7.8%, in the initial results.

The sole other Republican in the race, Kalin Morse, is a nonprofit director based in Westmoreland, gathering 2,819 votes, or 10.2%, in the initial returns.

As for Garcia, currently in third place, he has been an attorney and member of the El Centro City Council since 2015, also serving as the Imperial County district director for the League of California Cities since 2021.

Another Democratic candidate, Eric Rodriguez, currently serves on the Central Union High School District Board of Trustees in El Centro and has garnered 1,563 votes in the initial returns. Rodriguez’s background includes prior service as a police officer for the city of El Centro, now working for the Emergency Response Unit at Imperial County Child Protective Services.

According to voter registration data, Democrats comprise 43.8% of the Assembly district’s registered voters, while registered Republicans account for approximately 27.3%. A notable portion, around 21.3%, are registered as having no party preference.

The general election is scheduled for November 5th.