No Recommendation
Member of the State Assembly - No Recommendation - 8th
This is a safe Republican district with a Libertarian challenger. We recommend that you choose the candidate who best aligns to your values in this race.
Progressive endorsements: Republican incumbent Assm. Jim Patterson does not have any endorsements from progressive groups. He has received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including the California Pro-Life Council.
Libertarian Thomas Nichols does not have a campaign website or an online presence.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Patterson has served in this seat since 2012, when he was elected with 55% of the vote. In 2020, he won his uncontested reelection. He scores a Lifetime CS of 1 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Patterson has supported few progressive bills that made it to a vote. Prior to his election to the assembly, Assm. Patterson was a radio station owner in California and Idaho.
Nichols is vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Fresno County.
The Race
Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Patterson (R), 100%; and Thomas Nichols (L), a write-in candidate, 0% (9 votes).
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Patterson’s campaign has raised $661,802 and is funded by police money, corporate PACs, fossil fuel money, and real estate money.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 8th Assembly District includes the counties of Inyo, Tuolumne, Mariposa, and Mono, and parts of Fresno, Madera, and Calaveras Counties.
Voter registration: 30.3% Democrat, 43.8% Republican, and 18.1% No Party Preference. Republicans have held this district since at least 2012. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-08 is 11% more Republican than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.
District demographics: 19.5% Latino, 7% Asian, and 3% Black.
Recent election results: AD-08 voted for Trump for president in 2020 by 2 points and Cox for governor in 2018 by 22 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.
Member of the State Assembly - No Recommendation - 8th
This is a safe Republican district with a Libertarian challenger. We recommend that you choose the candidate who best aligns to your values in this race.
Progressive endorsements: Republican incumbent Assm. Jim Patterson does not have any endorsements from progressive groups. He has received endorsements from problematic stakeholders, including the California Pro-Life Council.
Libertarian Thomas Nichols does not have a campaign website or an online presence.
Governance and community leadership experience: Assm. Patterson has served in this seat since 2012, when he was elected with 55% of the vote. In 2020, he won his uncontested reelection. He scores a Lifetime CS of 1 out of 100 on Courage Score, our annual analysis of legislators’ progressive voting records. Based on our Courage Score analysis, Assm. Patterson has supported few progressive bills that made it to a vote. Prior to his election to the assembly, Assm. Patterson was a radio station owner in California and Idaho.
Nichols is vice chair of the Libertarian Party of Fresno County.
The Race
Primary election results: The June 2022 results included Patterson (R), 100%; and Thomas Nichols (L), a write-in candidate, 0% (9 votes).
Candidate fundraising and pledges: Assm. Patterson’s campaign has raised $661,802 and is funded by police money, corporate PACs, fossil fuel money, and real estate money.
The District
Counties in district: California’s 8th Assembly District includes the counties of Inyo, Tuolumne, Mariposa, and Mono, and parts of Fresno, Madera, and Calaveras Counties.
Voter registration: 30.3% Democrat, 43.8% Republican, and 18.1% No Party Preference. Republicans have held this district since at least 2012. Since the 2021 redistricting process, AD-08 is 11% more Republican than it was during the 2020 general election cycle.
District demographics: 19.5% Latino, 7% Asian, and 3% Black.
Recent election results: AD-08 voted for Trump for president in 2020 by 2 points and Cox for governor in 2018 by 22 points.
The Position
State assemblymembers represent and advocate for the needs of their district constituents at the California State Capitol. They are responsible for creating, debating, and voting on legislation that addresses issues within their district.
The California State Assembly has 80 districts. Each represents a population of at least 465,000 Californians. Representatives are elected to the Assembly for a two-year term. Every two years, all 80 seats are subject to election. Members elected before 2012 are restricted to three two-year terms (six years) in the Assembly. Those elected in or after 2012 are allowed to serve 12 years total across both the state Senate or Assembly. This term, Democrats currently hold a three-quarters supermajority of 60 seats in the California State Assembly, while Republicans hold 19 seats and one seat is held by an Independent.