James Norwood Patterson (born February 18, 1948) is an American politician who served in the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature (the upper house being the California State Senate). The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento, Califor ...

from 2012 to 2024. He represented the 8th district, which encompasses eastern

Fresno County Fresno County (), officially the County of Fresno, is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 1,008,654. The county seat is Fresno, the fifth-most populo ...

, including the cities of

Fresno Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...

and Clovis, and a small slice of Tulare County. A Republican, he is the former Mayor of

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.

2002 Congressional election

Patterson ran for the Republican nomination in

California's 21st congressional district California's 21st congressional district (or CA-21) is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It is located in the San Joaquin Valley and includes parts of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and Tulare County, Californi ...

, a district with new boundaries created through reapportionment after the 2000 United States census. His opponents were State Assemblyman Mike Briggs and

Devin Nunes Devin Gerald Nunes (; born October 1, 1973) is an American businessman and politician who serves as the Chair of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board since January 20, 2025, and as chief executive officer of the Trump Media & Technolog ...

, the California State Director for the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an executive department of the United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commercial farming and livestock food production, promotes agricultural trade and producti ...

's Rural Development section. 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 California's 19th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California, currently represented by . Following redistricting in 2021, the district includes most of the wealthier, white portions of the Central Coast, ...

, to take over the seat of retiring Congressman George Radanovich. He finished second in the June 8, 2010 primary to

state Senator A state senator is a member of a State legislature (United States), state's senate in the bicameral legislature of 49 U.S. states, or a member of the unicameral Nebraska Legislature. History There are typically fewer state senators than there ...

Jeff Denham, who won the general election.

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 The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE; ) is a Federal law enforcement in the United States, federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security. ICE's stated mission is to protect the Un ...

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

Board of Supervisors in 2024.The Fresno Bee
(subscription required)

Electoral history

References

External links

*
Campaign website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Patterson, Jim 1948 births 20th-century mayors of places in California 21st-century mayors of places in California Republican Party members of the California State Assembly Living people Mayors of Fresno, California 21st-century members of the California State Legislature