Jim Patterson (California politician)

James Norwood Patterson (born February 18, 1948) is an American politician who served in the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2024. He represented the 8th district, which encompasses eastern Fresno County, including the cities of Fresno and Clovis, and a small slice of Tulare County. A Republican, he is the former Mayor of Fresno.

Jim Patterson
Member of the California Assembly
In office December 3, 2012 – November 30, 2024
Preceded by	Linda Halderman (redistricted)
Succeeded by	David Tangipa
Constituency	23rd district (2012–2022) 8th district (2022–2024)
22nd Mayor of Fresno
In office 1993–2001
Preceded by	Karen Humphrey
Succeeded by	Alan Autry
Personal details
Born	James Norwood Patterson (1948-02-18) February 18, 1948 (age 76) San Mateo, California, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Residence(s)	Fresno, California

Early career

Prior to being elected to public office, he was a business executive and broadcaster owning and operating radio stations in California and Idaho.

Mayor

Patterson was Mayor of Fresno between 1993 and 2001, defeating incumbent Democrat Karen Humphrey for reelection by a landslide, and being succeeded by Alan Autry.^[1]

2002 Congressional election

Patterson ran for the Republican nomination in California's 21st congressional district, a district with new boundaries created through reapportionment after the 2000 United States census. His opponents were State Assemblyman Mike Briggs and Devin Nunes, the California State Director for the United States Department of Agriculture's Rural Development section.^[2] Patterson came in close second place to Nunes, who would eventually win the general election.

2010 Congressional election

Patterson ran for the Republican nomination in California's 19th congressional district, to take over the seat of retiring Congressman George Radanovich. He finished second in the June 8, 2010 primary to state Senator Jeff Denham, who won the general election.^[3]

Political positions

In the wake of a 2018 shooting spree in Tulare County by an illegal alien, Patterson called on his fellow legislators to change California Sanctuary Law SB54 to allow local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with detainer requests from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.^[4]

2024 election

Patterson is barred by term limits from seeking reelection to the state Assembly. He's announced that he plans to run for the Fresno County Board of Supervisors in 2024.^[5]

Electoral history

1996 Fresno mayoral election^[6]

Candidate		Votes	%
Jim Patterson (incumbent)		36,281	53.0
Michael Erin Woody		24,531	35.8
James "Jim" Lanas		2,125	3.1
Lewis A. Jackson		1,901	2.7
Randy Risner		1,201	1.7
Johnny Nelum		1,068	1.5
Michael Eagles		763	1.1
Lawrence A. Cano		558	0.8
Mauro Buzz Gugliemo		2	0.0
Frank Ramirez		0	0.0
Unqualified write-ins		20	0.0
Total votes		68,450	100

2002 California's 21st United States House of Representatives district Republican primary^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Devin Nunes	21,438	37.1
	Republican	Jim Patterson	19,099	33.0
	Republican	Mike Briggs	14,864	25.7
	Republican	Tom Wright	1,413	2.5
	Republican	Nathan Short	436	0.7
	Republican	Richard Morgan	369	0.6
	Republican	Greg Ingles	258	0.4
Total votes			57,441	100

2010 California's 19th United States House of Representatives district Republican primary^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jeff Denham	26,594	36.3
	Republican	Jim Patterson	22,355	30.6
	Republican	Richard Pombo	15,196	20.7
	Republican	Larry Westerlund	9,126	12.4
Total votes			73,271	100

2012 California's 23rd State Assembly district election

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Patterson	30,827	39.4
	Republican	Bob Whalen	19,992	25.5
	Democratic	Richard Rojas	17,690	22.6
	Republican	Vong Mouanoutoua	5,487	7.0
	Republican	David DeFrank	4,278	5.5
Total votes			78,274	100.0
General election
	Republican	Jim Patterson	83,817	54.7
	Republican	Bob Whalen	69,457	45.3
Total votes			153,274	100.0
	Republican hold

2014 California's 23rd State Assembly district election

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	55,914	100.0
Total votes			55,914	100.0
General election
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	82,417	100.0
Total votes			82,417	100.0
	Republican hold

2016 California's 23rd State Assembly district election

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	73,686	77.4
	Republican	Gwen L. Morris	21,522	22.6
Total votes			95,208	100.0
General election
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	125,123	75.9
	Republican	Gwen L. Morris	39,656	24.1
Total votes			164,809	100.0
	Republican hold

2018 California's 23rd State Assembly district election

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	58,927	64.9
	Democratic	Aileen Rizo	31,902	35.1
Total votes			90,829	100.0
General election
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	98,789	59.4
	Democratic	Aileen Rizo	67,443	40.6
Total votes			166,232	100.0
	Republican hold

2020 California's 23rd State Assembly district election

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	85,465	100%
Total votes
	Republican hold

2022 California's 8th State Assembly district election^[9][10]

Primary election
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	91,237	100%
	Libertarian	Thomas Edward Nichols (write-in)	15	0.0
Total votes			91,252	100%
General election
	Republican	Jim Patterson (incumbent)	128,124	74.2
	Libertarian	Thomas Edward Nichols	44,451	25.8
Total votes			172,575	100%
	Republican hold

See also

• List of mayors of Fresno, California

References

1. Cahoon, Ben. "Mayors of U.S. Cities A-L".
2. "California's 2002 races take their final form. Category: Features from The Berkeley Daily Planet". www.berkeleydailyplanet.com.
3. "California Primary Election Results | ABC30 Fresno | abc30.com". ABC30 Fresno.
4. Casiano, Louis (December 21, 2018). "Illegal immigrant's murderous spree shows California must scrap 'sanctuary' law, GOP lawmaker says". Fox News. Retrieved January 22, 2019.
5. The Fresno Bee (subscription required)
6. "STATEMENT OF VOTES CAST AT THE PRIMARY ELECTION HELD ON MARCH 26, 1996 IN THE COUNTY OF FRESNO STATE OF CALIFORNIA". Fresno County. Retrieved September 30, 2019.
7. "sov preface documents 2002.PDF" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
8. "Statement of Vote June 8, 2010, Statewide Direct Primary Election" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
9. "Primary Election - Statement of the Vote, June 7, 2022" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.
10. "General Election - Statement of the Vote, November 8, 2022 - State Assembly" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved June 20, 2024.

External links

• Official website
• Campaign website

Political offices
Preceded by Karen Humphrey	22nd Mayor of Fresno 1993–2001	Succeeded by Alan Autry