Esmeralda Soria
Soria in 2023
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 27th district
Assumed office
December 5, 2022
Preceded byAsh Kalra (redistricted)
Member of the Fresno City Council for the 1st district
In office
January 6, 2015 – December 5, 2022
Preceded byBlong Xiong
Succeeded byAnnalisa Perea
Personal details
Born (1982-04-22) April 22, 1982
Visalia, California
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Terance Frazier
​
(m. 2021)​
ResidenceFresno, California
ProfessionPolitician

Esmeralda Soria (born April 22, 1982) is an American politician and adjunct professor who is serving in the California State Assembly for the 27th district since 2022. Previously, she served as a member of the Fresno City Council from 2015 to 2022, with Soria serving as Council President from 2015 to 2022.

Early life and education

Soria was born and raised in Visalia to two immigrant parents from Michoacán, Mexico. She became interested in politics at a young age as her parents had valued education and giving back to their community. Soria graduated from University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Davis as well as attending Harvard University's Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Leadership Program.

Political career

Soria began working at the California State Capitol after graduating from UC Berkeley and later interned at the White House. Soria was elected to the Fresno City Council in 2014, being the only woman on the council. She was elected president of the Council in 2018, becoming the first Latina council president in Fresno city history.

In 2020, Soria announced that she would challenge moderate Democrat Jim Costa for the U.S. House of Representatives.[1] She stated that she had felt that "nothing had changed" about the problems in Costa's district since his election in 2004.[2][3] She lost the primary to Costa and Republican Kevin Cookingham.[4]

In 2021, Soria stated that she had been considering running for California State Assembly, as she was set to term out after the end of her term.[5] In January 2022, she launched her campaign for the State Assembly's 27th district.[6] In the election, she and Mark Pazin advanced in the primary, and Soria defeated Pazin in the general election after a tight race.[7]

Personal life

Soria is married to developer Terance Frazier, with the two being married in Sayulita, Mexico.[8]

Electoral history

California's 16th congressional district, 2020
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jim Costa (incumbent) 41,228 37.5
Republican Kevin Cookingham 38,652 35.2
Democratic Esmeralda Soria 23,484 21.4
Democratic Kimberly Elizabeth Williams 6,458 5.9
Total votes 109,822 100.0
General election
Democratic Jim Costa (incumbent) 128,690 59.4
Republican Kevin Cookingham 88,039 40.6
Total votes 216,729 100.0
Democratic hold
2022 California's 27th State Assembly district election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Esmeralda Soria 20,395 40.1
Republican Mark Nicholas Pazin 17,801 35.0
Republican Amanda Fleming 8,541 16.8
Democratic Mike Karbassi 4,107 8.1
Libertarian Randall Pellissier (write-in) 4 0.0
Total votes 50,848 100.0
General election
Democratic Esmeralda Soria 45,721 51.3
Republican Mark Nicholas Pazin 43,335 48.7
Total votes 89,056 100.0
Democratic hold

References

  1. ↑ Tavlian, Alex (July 11, 2019). "It's official: Esmeralda Soria is challenging Costa in 2020". The San Joaquin Valley Sun. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  2. ↑ Blood, Michael R. (February 1, 2020). "Some House challengers eager to push California further left". Associated Press.
  3. ↑ Jeremy B. White (February 12, 2020). "'She is tired of waiting her turn': Costa stares down liberal challenger". Politico.
  4. ↑ "Tight race between Democratic Congressman Jim Costa, Republican Kevin Cookingham for District 16". KFSN-TV. March 16, 2020.
  5. ↑ Taub, David (December 14, 2021). "Soria Considering Assembly Run. Tulare Sheriff Boudreaux for Congress?". GV Wire.
  6. ↑ Houghton, John (January 21, 2022). "Esmeralda Soria launches State Assembly campaign". KSEE.
  7. ↑ "Mark Pazin concedes to Esmeralda Soria in very tight race for Assembly District 27". KFSN-TV. November 21, 2022.
  8. ↑ Taub, David (November 22, 2021). "City Councilmember Soria and Developer Frazier Wed in Mexico". GV Wire.
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