Tangipa: Fresno St. gridiron, humble roots prepared me for Sacramento’s rough-and-tumble

David Tangipa is a newcomer to the political scene, one of the two candidates pushing to be elected to Assembly District 8 to succeed Asm. Jim Patterson (R – Fresno). 

Tangipa spoke with The Sun for political podcast series, The Stump, airing on Sunrise FM. 

The big picture: While Tangipa has never run for political office before, he is not entirely new to the local political scene. 

• He is an aide to Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, where he came on in March 2020 right before the Creek Fire struck the Sierra Nevada mountains, leading him to help provide support for the affected communities. 
• Before he joined Magsig’s team, Tangipa played tight end for Fresno State and was part of the 2018 Mountain West Championship team. 
• Tangipa also works as a realtor in the area. 
• Patterson has endorsed Tangipa to be his successor in the Assembly, joining Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, Fresno County Sheriff John Zanoni and former Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims, among many others. 

What they’re saying: Tangipa said he has wanted to be involved in politics since he was a child because he understands the power of policy to change lives. 

• “Even though I may be a newcomer to the elected scene, I think people are looking for new and energetic,” Tangipa said. “Because look at where we’re at today in California and the issues that we’re going through when it comes to the cost of living, when it comes to fire policies and forest management and fire insurance, and when it comes to affordability, and the chance to even purchase a home. And I see it affect my business. I see it affecting my day-to-day life, and I believe that I’m one of the individuals who has the experience, the age and the energy to get some things done not only here locally but at the state.” 
• One of the major issues plaguing the state in recent years revolves around Proposition 47, which has classified retail theft under $950 as a misdemeanor, leading to a hit in public safety. 
• Tangipa is calling for a repeal of Proposition 47 to raise the standard for public safety throughout California. 
• “Right now criminals have control of the Legislative policies, and for some reason Sacramento believes that abiding – or coddling is the way I kind of look at it – these criminals that somehow that they’re going to get better,” Tangipa said. “That’s not how it works.”