Republicans Radanovich, Tangipa face off in contest for state Assembly District 8

George Radanovich, a former congressman from Mariposa, and David Tangipa, a small business owner in Fresno and first-time candidate, will face off for the Assembly District 8 seat in the Nov. 5 general election.

Both are Republicans seeking to replace Jim Patterson, a Fresno Republican who is term-limited from running again. The pair were the top two vote-getters in the March primary election to earn a spot in the November runoff. Radanovich captured 36.1% of the votes to Tangipa's 31.3%.

The sprawling Republican-majority district runs from north Fresno to communities in Madera, Mariposa, Tuolumne and Calaveras counties, then over the Sierra to include Mono and Inyo counties.

Radanovich 68, who served in the House of Representatives from 1994 to 2010, served as the chairman of the National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Subcommittee, Water and Power Subcommittee, Western Caucus, as well as co-chair of the Water Caucus and Wine Caucus. He is endorsed by the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers' Association PAC, and the Republican Parties of Fresno, Madera, Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties.

Tangipa, a 28-year-old field director for Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, has been endorsed by The Fresno Bee editorial board, Patterson, Magsig, Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, and former Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims.