Asm. Carlos Villapudua (D–Stockton) and his wife Edith Villapudua switched races last December in an effort for both to be elected to the California Legislature.
Now the Villapuduas are both on the outside looking in after the initial primary election results from Tuesday.
The backstory: Carlos Villapudua, was first elected to Assembly District 13 in 2020 and was re-elected in 2022.
- He initially announced plans to run for re-election for the Assembly while his wife announced her candidacy for Senate District 5, an open seat with Sen. Susan Eggman (D–Stockton) leaving because of term limits.
- But Former Congressman Jerry McNerney complicated the plan for the husband and wife duo to serve together by entering the race for Senate District 5.
- That jump-started a series of moves in both races. First, Carlos Villapudua and Edith Villapudua announced the switch, intending to give Edith Villapudua an easier path since there were not any other opponents at the time for Assembly District 13.
- But Rep. Josh Harder (D–Tracy) staffer Rhodesia Ransom, who was running in Senate District 5, also switched to the Assembly race.
The big picture: Both Carlos Villapudua and Edith Villapudua are not set to make the November election after Tuesday’s election.
- Carlos Villapudua is currently in third place in Senate District 5 at 23.4 percent. McNerney leads the Assemblymember at 31.7 percent, while Republican Jim Shoemaker is in first at 44.9 percent.
- Edith Villapudua is also in this place in Assembly District 13. Ransom holds the lead at 39.7 percent, while Republican Denise Aguilar Mendez is behind at 37.6 percent, while Edith Villapudua trails at 22.7 percent.
