Michael Maher announced Thursday that he will run for the state Senate to succeed Sen. Shannon Grove (R–Bakersfield) in District 12.
Grove, the former Minority Leader in the Senate, will be termed out of office in 2026.
Flashback: Maher is already well known on the ballot, having run for Congress against Rep. Jim Costa (D–Fresno) the last two cycles.
- He lost to Costa by 8.4 points in 2022 but came closer last year, losing by 5.2 points.
Driving the news: A Central Valley native, Maher graduated from Tulare Union High School in 2001 and enlisted in the Navy following 9/11.
- Following his military career, Maher has worked in industrial construction, law enforcement, aviation and energy.
- Maher is also a graduate of the FBI Academy at Quantico.
Zoom in: Senate District 12 spans parts of Fresno, Kern and Tulare Counties, including much of north Fresno, all of Clovis, and parts of Visalia, Tulare and Bakersfield.
- Republicans hold a 17.63% advantage in voter registration in the district over Democrats.
- Grove won reelection in 2022 over Susanne Gundy by 37.4 points.
What he’s saying: Maher said in his announcement that the district needs another Republican veteran to follow Grove in Sacramento.
- “Veterans like J.D. Vance, Pete Hegseth, Mike Waltz, and many others from my generation – who wore the uniform post 9/11 – are now leading this country into a New Golden Age,” Maher said. “Meanwhile, California is collapsing under a leadership crisis driven by the cronyism of lifetime politicians and corrupt bureaucrats. I want to restore our state’s gleaming gold standard, one that once filled people with optimism and inspired them to invest their family’s future here in California.”
- Maher said California’s current state of affairs is dysfunction, putting the blame on Gov. Gavin Newsom.
- “With the abundance of California’s natural resources, we should be an energy exporter. Take gas prices – California drivers are paying over two dollars more per gallon than those in Texas. That’s not just coincidence; it’s failed policy,” Maher said. “While politicians like Gavin Newsom enrich themselves, our families are left to struggle. I’m running to change that. I’m running to fight for the families, farmers, and small business owners of the Central Valley. We need bold leadership unafraid to challenge the status quo, and I intend to deliver just that.”
