Republican Patterson Running For Mother Lode Assembly Seat

Sonora, CA — An incumbent Assemblyman from Fresno County, Jim Patterson, is running for the newly drawn district that stretches through the Mother Lode region.

Following redistricting, the new Assembly District 8 will begin in Calaveras County in the north and go through Tuolumne, Mariposa, Madera, Mono and Inyo counties. It also covers a large section of Fresno County, including the heavily populated suburban area of Clovis.

The Mother Lode region is currently represented in the Assembly by Republican Frank Bigelow who resides in Madera County. Clarke Broadcasting reached out to Bigelow’s Office this afternoon to see if he has made a decision yet on his election plans. We did not immediately hear back. If both Patterson and Bigelow choose to run, it would be two sitting Republican Assemblymembers going head-to-head.

Both Patterson and Bigelow are eligible to serve one more term in office before term limits would kick in.

Patterson’s current district includes all of Fresno and Tulare counties. He says 65-percent of the voting population in the new District 8 reside in his current district.

Patterson says in a statement, “So often, the needs of our rural areas are overlooked and even ignored at the state level. I look forward to continuing to shine the bright light of accountability on our state government on their behalf.”

Patterson served as Mayor of Fresno prior to the Assembly.

The primary election is in June, and the top-two vote-getters, regardless of party, will move onto the November General Election.