Brian
Pacheco
Fresno County Supervisor and fourth-generation farmer seeking the open California Assembly District 27 seat as a Democrat in 2026.
- sources
- 15
- positions
- 8
- endorsements
- 19
Background
Brian Pacheco is a Democrat running for California State Assembly District 27 in the November 3, 2026 general election, having advanced from the June 2 top-two primary. The seat is open; incumbent Esmeralda Soria chose not to seek re-election. [2, 4, 15, 16]
Pacheco currently serves as Fresno County District 1 Supervisor, representing the west side of Fresno County. He was first elected to that position in 2014 and won a third four-year term in 2022. Prior to the Board of Supervisors, he served 12 years on the Kerman Unified School District Board of Trustees. [11, 14]
A fourth-generation family farmer and dairyman, Pacheco is a Kerman native who graduated from Kerman High School and earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics from UC Davis. He served as president of the Fresno County Farm Bureau from 2010 to 2012 and as board chairman of California Dairies, Inc. [3, 11, 14]
His campaign focuses on issues facing the Central Valley. He is not the incumbent for Assembly District 27. [2, 4, 9]
At a glance
- Party
- Democratic
- Running for
- State Assembly · District 27, California
- Election
- Nov 3, 2026
- Current office
- Fresno County District 1 Supervisor
- Website
- pachecoforca.com(opens in a new tab)
Where they stand
Each position links to the page it was drawn from. Quotes are verbatim.
Timeline
- Sep 30newsCAMTB legislative questionnaire lists Pacheco as AD-27 Democratic candidate; no response received
The California Mountain Biking Coalition's 2026 legislative recreation questionnaire listed Brian Pacheco as the Democratic candidate for Assembly District 27 but noted 'No response received' from his campaign.
CAMTB 2026 Legislative Recreation Questionnaire · Sep 30, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 30newsPacheco campaign ads emphasize standing up to LA and SF politicians on behalf of the Valley
POLITICO reported that Pacheco's campaign ads stressed standing up to politicians from California's larger population centers. One ad stated: 'I'll stand up to LA and San Francisco politicians and make sure the Valley finally gets a seat at the table.' The article also noted Donald Trump won the district by nearly three percentage points in 2024.
The fight for California's legislative swing seats - POLITICO · Sep 30, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 21newsPacheco spokesperson says he is 'not in favor of privatizing the libraries, period'
A spokesperson for Pacheco told Fresnoland he was 'not in favor of privatizing the libraries, period,' amid Fresno County discussion of potentially outsourcing library operations. No vote was then scheduled. This was a statement through his spokesperson, not a direct quote from Pacheco.
Privatizing Fresno County's library is an uphill fight, and not likely · Sep 21, 2026 (opens in a new tab) - Sep 12filingBrian Pacheco for Assembly 2026 files Form 497 reporting $60,791 from two transactions
A campaign-finance tracking account posted that a new Form 497 for 'Brian Pacheco for Assembly 2026' reported $60,791 from two transactions, pointing to a California Secretary of State filing. The post does not establish a full fundraising total or explain the transactions.
CATargetBot0001 on X: "NEW F497 Brian Pacheco for Assembly ... · Sep 12, 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Endorsements
- Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar Monte organizationListed as endorsed candidate for AD 27; no endorsement date stated. plannedparenthoodaction.org
- Robert Rivas, Speaker of the California Assembly officialFeatured on the Pacheco campaign website; no individual endorsement date stated. pachecoforca.com
- Esmeralda Soria, Assemblymember officialFeatured on the Pacheco campaign website; no individual endorsement date stated. pachecoforca.com
- Jim Costa, U.S. Representative officialListed in Merced County Times profile; no endorsement date stated. mercedcountytimes.com
- Adam Gray, U.S. Representative officialListed in Merced County Times profile; no endorsement date stated. mercedcountytimes.com
- Lisa Smittcamp, Fresno County District Attorney officialListed by Progressive Voters Guide; no endorsement date stated. progressivevotersguide.com
- Michele Cantwell-Copher, Fresno County Superintendent of Schools officialListed by Progressive Voters Guide; no endorsement date stated. progressivevotersguide.com
- Fresno County supervisors and some mayors (not all named) officialListed collectively by Progressive Voters Guide without naming all individuals; no endorsement dates stated. progressivevotersguide.com
- California Democratic Party organizationListed among Pacheco's key endorsements by CalMatters; no date stated. calmatters.org
- Fresno, Madera, Kings & Tulare Counties Building & Construction Trades Council unionListed in the council's 2026 endorsed-candidates document; no date stated. iuec8.org
- California YIMBY organizationCampaign announcement dated May 27, 2026. pachecoforca.com · May 27, 2026
- Peace Officers Research Association of California (PORAC) organizationCampaign announcement dated May 20, 2026. pachecoforca.com · May 20, 2026
- Sheet Metal Workers' Local 104 unionCampaign announcement dated May 14, 2026. pachecoforca.com · May 14, 2026
- California Teachers Association unionCampaign announcement dated May 7, 2026; also listed in CTA general-election endorsement materials. pachecoforca.com · May 7, 2026
- Madera County Young Democrats organizationCampaign announcement dated May 1, 2026. pachecoforca.com · May 1, 2026
- North Valley Labor Federation, AFL-CIO unionCampaign announcement dated April 23, 2026. pachecoforca.com · Apr 23, 2026
- Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Central Labor Council unionListed in the council's June 2026 primary voter guide, published April 21, 2026. myunionworks.com · Apr 21, 2026
- California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO unionCampaign announcement dated April 16, 2026; also listed in the federation's pre-general-election endorsement document dated August 4, 2026. pachecoforca.com · Apr 16, 2026
- Fresno Deputy Sheriff's Association organizationCampaign announcement dated April 6, 2026. pachecoforca.com · Apr 6, 2026
Sources 15
- [1] CA Endorsements | Planned Parenthood Advocates Mar ...(opens in a new tab) Oct 4, 2026
- [2] CAMTB 2026 Legislative Recreation Questionnaire(opens in a new tab) Sep 30, 2026
- [3] The fight for California's legislative swing seats - POLITICO(opens in a new tab) Sep 30, 2026
- [4] State Assembly - CalMatters(opens in a new tab) Sep 29, 2026
- [5] Privatizing Fresno County's library is an uphill fight, and not likely(opens in a new tab) Sep 21, 2026
- [6] CATargetBot0001 on X: "NEW F497 Brian Pacheco for Assembly ...(opens in a new tab) Sep 12, 2026
- [7] Merced County - Progressive Voters Guide(opens in a new tab) Aug 31, 2026
- [8] BUttDilllC & C0N$TRUCTIoN TRADE$ C0UNCIL At[-Ct0(opens in a new tab) Aug 26, 2026
- [9] June 2026 Primary Voter Guide • FMTK Central Labor Council(opens in a new tab) Apr 21, 2026
- [10] News - Brian Pacheco for Assembly(opens in a new tab) Apr 6, 2026
- [11] Pacheco says he's in position to deliver results for local residents — Merced County Times(opens in a new tab) Apr 3, 2026
- [12] Fresno limits halfway house beds after Fig Garden protest(opens in a new tab) Jan 9, 2026
- [13] Brian Pacheco for California Assembly District 27 | 2026(opens in a new tab) Dec 8, 2025
- [14] Issues — Brian Pacheco for Assembly(opens in a new tab) Dec 8, 2025
- [15] Fresno County Board of Supervisors (8/23/22) Solar storage facility ...(opens in a new tab) Aug 24, 2022