Magsig takes early lead in race for CA Senate District covering northeast Fresno, Clovis

Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig has taken an early election night lead in the race for California Senate’s District 12 seat currently held by Shannon Grove.

The initial returns showed more than 76,000 votes had been counted as of 8:30 p.m. in the race to represent the district, which includes northeast Fresno and Clovis. The Republican-leaning district also includes large parts of Tulare and Kern counties, including a portion of Visalia and Bakersfield.

Magsig, a Republican, held about 62.5% of the vote while Libertarian William Brown Jr. — a social worker, according to his campaign website — held 37.5%.

At a Tuesday night election watch party in Clovis, Magsig said he is “excited so far about what voters have decided.”

“It’s looking very positive,” he said. “I am humbled and honored.”

The Fresno Bee could not reach Brown Tuesday night.

The two candidates advanced from the June primary election, when Magsig received 59.5% of the vote despite Louis Anthony Miramontes, another Republican, also on the ballot. Brown received 26.5% of the vote in the primary election.

Magsig, who is a general contractor, has been the Fresno County District 5 supervisor since 2017, representing east Fresno, Clovis and the eastern part of the county. Before that, he had served on the Clovis City Council since 2001.

He said Tuesday that, if elected, his priorities will be focused on improving infrastructure, forest management, water and energy policy.

Magsig has been endorsed by various local and state elected officials, including Grove, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and Republican Assemblymember David Tangipa.

According to his website, Brown is a Marine veteran and lives in Visalia. He has focused his campaign on fiscal responsibility and says elected officials should work to “lower taxes” and “reduce regulations,” according to his website.

He is endorsed by the Libertarian Party of California, according to his site.