Sonora, CA—Tuolumne County Supervisor Jaron Brandon, Democrat, has conceded the District 4 State Senate race against his Republican challenger.
“Today, I’m conceding this race for State Senate. I congratulate Alexandra Duarte on her victory.”
In the last vote count on Friday (11/6/2026), Duarte had 57.24% or 13,222 votes to Brandon’s 42.76% or 9,876 votes. Brandon congratulated Duarte and spoke about the race, detailing that he traveled across 13 counties and 192 communities in rural California, stating, “I’ve learned that we have far more in common than our politics would lead us to believe. And while this election didn’t end the way we’d hoped, I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.”
Brandon also noted the future struggles for the Mother Lode, adding, “I remain hopeful that California, and the country, is on the precipice of meaningful change. That we can replace the FAIR Plan with insurance that families can actually afford, move toward universal healthcare that lowers costs, and build homes for working people in communities both large and small.”
Brandon thanked his campaign team, volunteers, donors, labor partners, friends, and family, noting, “I walk away with my head held high, my heart full, and a deeper love for this extraordinary place and its people.” He ended with his main campaign slogan: “Results over rhetoric. Community over politics. Ideas over ideology.”
Find his entire statement below:
“Over the last two years, I’ve traveled tens of thousands of miles across 13 counties and 192 communities in rural California. I’ve driven winding mountain roads, walked neighborhoods, visited farms and small businesses, and listened to thousands of people who simply want a fair shot at a good life.
I’ve learned that we have far more in common than our politics would lead us to believe. And while this election didn’t end the way we’d hoped, I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.
Today, I’m conceding this race for State Senate. I congratulate Alexandra Duarte on her victory.
When I started this campaign, I knew the odds were against us. A kid who grew up in a trailer park, from one of California’s smaller counties, running as a Democrat in one of its most conservative Senate districts. We refused corporate PAC money and were outspent four to one. We kept our campaign clean and issues-focused. And we came within striking distance of winning, shifting the political landscape by nearly eight points.
What we had was people.
Grassroots donors who gave what they could because they believed in something bigger than one election. Volunteers who knocked on doors, made calls, and drove hours to reach one more community. The working men and women of organized labor who stood with us for fair wages, safe workplaces, and dignity in work. And Republicans and independents who crossed party lines because they believed that character and community should matter more than a letter beside someone’s name.
To every one of you, thank you. You proved that even in an era of extraordinary money and division, ordinary people can still build something extraordinary.
I’ve never fit neatly into a political box. I believe in the progressive promise that working people deserve a fair share of the prosperity they create. But I also carry a rural conservative’s skepticism of a system that celebrates record stock markets and soaring state GDP while Main Streets struggle, families fall behind, and communities get left out. I worry about the effects of AI, climate change, and partisan strife on mine and future generations. And I believe that caring for our land, water, and forests isn’t just environmentalism. It’s our responsibility to the generations that follow.
I remain hopeful that California, and the country, is on the precipice of meaningful change. That we can replace the FAIR Plan with insurance that families can actually afford, move toward universal healthcare that lowers costs, and build homes for working people in communities both large and small. That we can protect our groundwater, restore the health of our forests, and make government work better without asking struggling families to pay more.
These aren’t Democratic or Republican challenges. They’re our challenges. And the solutions shouldn’t belong to one party, either.
I’m also grateful that voters across the country demanded accountability this election. After years of watching an administration push the limits of its power, Americans reminded us that no one is above accountability and that checks and balances still matter. That gives me hope.
But this campaign gave me something else I never could have expected.
Somewhere along those tens of thousands of miles, through the long days, late nights, and unexpected turns, I found the love of my life, Sarah. I set out hoping to change the future of the place I call home. Along the way, my own future changed in the most wonderful way.
So yes, I’m disappointed. I wanted to win. I wanted to take the stories of these 192 communities to Sacramento and fight for the people who too often feel forgotten — for my people.
But I walk away with my head held high, my heart full, and a deeper love for this extraordinary place and its people.
To our campaign team, volunteers, donors, labor partners, friends, and family: you gave this effort everything you had. To everyone who opened their door, shared their story, put up a sign, or cast a vote for a kid from Tuolumne County, you’ve given me the opportunity of a lifetime.
An election can end. The work doesn’t.
The friendships we’ve built, the bridges we’ve crossed, and the ideas we’ve put forward don’t disappear because the votes didn’t fall our way. Neither does my belief that public service is about showing up, listening, and fighting for people whether they voted for you or not.
I started this journey believing that rural California deserves better, that working families deserve a voice, and that the next generation has a responsibility to build something better than what we inherited.
I believe that more strongly today than ever.
Results over rhetoric. Community over politics. Ideas over ideology.
With gratitude, love, and hope for what comes next,
Jaron”
