Esmeralda Soria

Last updated
Terance Frazier
​
(m. 2021)​
Esmeralda Soria
Esmeralda Soria, 2022.jpg
Official portrait, 2022
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office
December 5, 2022
Education University of California, Berkeley (BA)
University of California, Davis (JD)

Esmeralda Zamudio Soria (born April 22, 1982) [1] 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.

Contents

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. [2] She stated that she had felt that "nothing had changed" about the problems in Costa's district since his election in 2004. [3] [4] She lost the primary to Costa and Republican Kevin Cookingham. [5]

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. [6] In January 2022, she launched her campaign for the State Assembly's 27th district. [7] In the election, she and Mark Pazin advanced in the primary, and Soria defeated Pazin in the general election after a tight race. [8]

Personal life

Soria is married to developer Terance Frazier, with the two being married in Sayulita, Mexico. [9]

Electoral history

Fresno City Council

2014 Fresno City Council 1st district election [10] [11]
Primary election
CandidateVotes%
Cary Catalano2,56933.91
Esmeralda Soria2,53933.52
Rama Dawar81210.72
Rebeca A. Rangel7189.48
Mark J. Castro5527.29
Jackson Shepherd2443.22
Lawrence Cano1271.68
Write-in 140.18
Total votes7,575 100.00
General election
Esmeralda Soria5,43052.41
Cary Catalano4,89647.25
Write-in 350.34
Total votes10,361 100.00
2018 Fresno City Council 1st district election [12]
CandidateVotes%
Esmeralda Soria6,35796.13
Write-in 2563.87
Total votes6,613 100.00

U.S. House of Representatives

2020 California's 16th congressional district primary election [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jim Costa (incumbent) 41,228 37.5
Republican Kevin Cookingham 38,652 35.2
Democratic Esmeralda Soria23,48421.4
Democratic Kimberly Elizabeth Williams6,4585.9
Total votes109,822 100.0

California State Assembly

2022 California State Assembly 27th district election [14] [15]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Esmeralda Soria 20,395 40.1
Republican Mark Nicholas Pazin 17,801 35.0
Republican Amanda Fleming8,54116.8
Democratic Mike Karbassi4,1078.1
Libertarian Randall Pellissier (write-in)40.0
Total votes50,848 100.0
General election
Democratic Esmeralda Soria 45,721 51.3
Republican Mark Nicholas Pazin43,33548.7
Total votes89,056 100.0
Democratic hold
2024 California State Assembly 27th district election [16] [17]
Primary election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Joanna Garcia Rose 29,457 50.9
Democratic Esmeralda Soria (incumbent) 28,402 49.1
Total votes57,859 100.0
General election
Democratic Esmeralda Soria (incumbent) 75,559 53.9
Republican Joanna Garcia Rose64,57646.1
Total votes140,135 100.0
Democratic hold

References

  1. ↑ Parker, Sue (March 2023). "The Assembly List of MEMBERS, OFFICERS, COMMITTEES AND THE RULES" (PDF). California State Assembly .
  2. ↑ Tavlian, Alex (July 11, 2019). "It's official: Esmeralda Soria is challenging Costa in 2020". The San Joaquin Valley Sun. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
  3. ↑ Blood, Michael R. (February 1, 2020). "Some House challengers eager to push California further left". Associated Press .
  4. ↑ Jeremy B. White (February 12, 2020). "'She is tired of waiting her turn': Costa stares down liberal challenger". Politico .
  5. ↑ "Tight race between Democratic Congressman Jim Costa, Republican Kevin Cookingham for District 16". KFSN-TV . March 16, 2020.
  6. ↑ Taub, David (December 14, 2021). "Soria Considering Assembly Run. Tulare Sheriff Boudreaux for Congress?". GV Wire.
  7. ↑ Houghton, John (January 21, 2022). "Esmeralda Soria launches State Assembly campaign". KSEE .
  8. ↑ "Mark Pazin concedes to Esmeralda Soria in very tight race for Assembly District 27". KFSN-TV . November 21, 2022.
  9. ↑ Taub, David (November 22, 2021). "City Councilmember Soria and Developer Frazier Wed in Mexico". GV Wire.
  10. ↑ "Results of June 3, 2014 Statewide Direct Primary Election". Fresno County . December 19, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Results of November 4, 2014 Statewide General Election". Fresno County . December 2, 2014. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Results For June 5, 2018 - Statewide Primary Election". Fresno County . June 26, 2018. Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  13. ↑ "March 3, 2020, Presidential Primary Election - United States Representative" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  14. ↑ "June 7, 2022, Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  15. ↑ "November 8, 2022, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  16. ↑ "March 5, 2024, Presidential Primary Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved September 23, 2025.
  17. ↑ "November 5, 2024, General Election - State Assemblymember" (PDF). Secretary of State of California . Retrieved September 23, 2025.
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