Celeste Rodriguez’s route to Assembly District 43 included San Fernando, where her 2020 City Council race was decided by 24 votes. She defeated Mayor Joel Fajardo in that general election and was elected alongside Cindy Montañez. Two years later, the council chose Rodriguez as mayor after she had previously lost a vote for vice mayor. In January 2024, after Assemblymember Luz Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives, Rodriguez announced her own campaign for the 43rd district. She advanced to the general election with Republican Victoria Garcia, a fellow San Fernando councilor.
ROOTS AND PUBLIC WORK
Born in 1990, Rodriguez graduated from James Monroe High School and earned an associate degree from Los Angeles Mission College. She later graduated from San Diego State University and earned a Master of Social Work at the University of Southern California.
Her public-service work began at the Recreation and Community Services Department. She later moved to the Office of Economic Opportunity in Los Angeles. Her public-service record thus included work in recreation and community services and in economic opportunity.
Her education extended across several institutions: Monroe, Mission College, San Diego State and USC. In 2020, Rodriguez announced a campaign for a council seat in San Fernando.
THE PATH THROUGH CITY HALL
Rodriguez’s 2020 council election was decided by 24 votes. She defeated Fajardo, then the mayor, and was elected alongside Montañez to the San Fernando City Council.
Before becoming mayor, Rodriguez lost a vote for vice mayor to Mary Mendoza. In December 2022, the council elected Rodriguez mayor. Montañez had the council’s unanimous support to become mayor but turned down the position and recommended Rodriguez instead. The council then selected Rodriguez.
Rodriguez won her council seat through a general election, lost the internal vote for vice mayor and later became mayor through a vote of her fellow council members. Her Assembly campaign followed Rivas’s run for the United States House of Representatives. In January 2024, Rodriguez entered the race and then advanced to the general election with Garcia.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Rodriguez’s public career includes work at a recreation and community services department and at an economic opportunity office, followed by service as a San Fernando councilor and mayor. Her council seat and mayoralty came through distinct votes: she defeated Fajardo by 24 votes in the 2020 general election, and the council elected her mayor in December 2022.
Her move toward state office began with her January 2024 campaign announcement after Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives. Rodriguez advanced to the general election with Garcia and was elected in the 2024 election to represent Assembly District 43.
The documented sequence runs from public-service work to the San Fernando City Council and mayor’s office, and then to the California State Assembly. It includes both a close election decided by voters and an internal council decision that made Rodriguez mayor.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 43 · 2024–present
Celeste Rodriguez’s route to Assembly District 43 included San Fernando, where her 2020 City Council race was decided by 24 votes. She defeated Mayor Joel Fajardo in that general election and was elected alongside Cindy Montañez. Two years later, the council chose Rodriguez as mayor after she had previously lost a vote for vice mayor. In January 2024, after Assemblymember Luz Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives, Rodriguez announced her own campaign for the 43rd district. She advanced to the general election with Republican Victoria Garcia, a fellow San Fernando councilor.
ROOTS AND PUBLIC WORK
Born in 1990, Rodriguez graduated from James Monroe High School and earned an associate degree from Los Angeles Mission College. She later graduated from San Diego State University and earned a Master of Social Work at the University of Southern California.
Her public-service work began at the Recreation and Community Services Department. She later moved to the Office of Economic Opportunity in Los Angeles. Her public-service record thus included work in recreation and community services and in economic opportunity.
Her education extended across several institutions: Monroe, Mission College, San Diego State and USC. In 2020, Rodriguez announced a campaign for a council seat in San Fernando.
THE PATH THROUGH CITY HALL
Rodriguez’s 2020 council election was decided by 24 votes. She defeated Fajardo, then the mayor, and was elected alongside Montañez to the San Fernando City Council.
Before becoming mayor, Rodriguez lost a vote for vice mayor to Mary Mendoza. In December 2022, the council elected Rodriguez mayor. Montañez had the council’s unanimous support to become mayor but turned down the position and recommended Rodriguez instead. The council then selected Rodriguez.
Rodriguez won her council seat through a general election, lost the internal vote for vice mayor and later became mayor through a vote of her fellow council members. Her Assembly campaign followed Rivas’s run for the United States House of Representatives. In January 2024, Rodriguez entered the race and then advanced to the general election with Garcia.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Rodriguez’s public career includes work at a recreation and community services department and at an economic opportunity office, followed by service as a San Fernando councilor and mayor. Her council seat and mayoralty came through distinct votes: she defeated Fajardo by 24 votes in the 2020 general election, and the council elected her mayor in December 2022.
Her move toward state office began with her January 2024 campaign announcement after Rivas ran for the United States House of Representatives. Rodriguez advanced to the general election with Garcia and was elected in the 2024 election to represent Assembly District 43.
The documented sequence runs from public-service work to the San Fernando City Council and mayor’s office, and then to the California State Assembly. It includes both a close election decided by voters and an internal council decision that made Rodriguez mayor.
The record
4,536 events, each with its sourceACR 128 Stefani Consent Calendar Second Day
ACA 7 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
City council members: absences without permission.
Medi-Cal: lactation services.
Legally protected activities.
Doctors from El Salvador Program.
Relative to Canine “K-9” Appreciation Week.
Worker data: prohibitions: artificial intelligence.
CalFresh: federal government shutdowns.
Guaranteed Health Care for All.
Firefighter postpartum and recovery leave.
Office of Food Security and Affordability.
CalWORKs: unrelated adult male.
Fish and wildlife: invasive species: invasive mussels.
SB 106 Laird Senate Third Reading By Gabriel Amend By TANGIPA Set #1 Motion to Lay on the Table By AGUIAR-CURRY
SB 106 Laird Senate Third Reading By Gabriel
HR 84 BRYAN Assembly Third Reading
Involuntary residential facilities: health and safety inspections.
HR 77 Carrillo Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
ACR 127 Muratsuchi Consent Calendar Second Day
AJR 25 BONTA Assembly Third Reading
Climate disasters: civil actions.
CalFresh: student eligibility.
Private detention facilities: canteens.
AB 292 Patterson Assembly Third Reading
AB 375 Nguyen Assembly Third Reading
AB 442 Hadwick Assembly Third Reading
AB 464 Aguiar-Curry Assembly Third Reading
AB 501 Papan Assembly Third Reading
AB 634 Jeff Gonzalez Assembly Third Reading
AB 683 Davies Consent Calendar Second Day
AB 713 Solache Assembly Third Reading
AB 739 Jackson Assembly Third Reading
AB 762 Irwin Assembly Third Reading
AB 763 Ward Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 910 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
AB 939 Schultz Assembly Third Reading
AB 1049 Celeste Rodriguez Assembly Third Reading By JACKSON
AB 1080 Bryan Assembly Third Reading
AB 1126 Patterson Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session
AB 1153 Bonta Assembly Third Reading
AB 1165 Gipson Assembly Third Reading By WICKS
AB 1171 Patel Assembly Third Reading
AB 1198 Haney Assembly Third Reading
AB 1235 Rogers Assembly Third Reading
AB 1245 Stefani Assembly Third Reading
AB 1278 Harabedian Consent Calendar Second Day Regular Session