Rhodesia Ransom

Rhodesia Ransom comes to the Assembly from Tracy, where she lives and previously served on the City Council. Her documented political record includes council service, a campaign for the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, election as a California representative to the Democratic National Committee and service in the Legislature. She narrowly lost the 2020 supervisors race before winning election in 2022 as one of California’s 30 representatives to the Democratic National Committee. Her route to the Assembly was less direct: Ransom began that campaign running for the state Senate, then changed races after a last-minute switch by Carlos and Edith Villapudua. She entered the Assembly by defeating Edith Villapudua.

BACKGROUND AND FORMATION

Ransom grew up in San Francisco and studied political science at San Francisco State University, earning a Bachelor of Arts. She later received a Master of Public Administration from Golden Gate University.

She now lives in Tracy and previously served on the Tracy City Council. Her record also includes campaigns for county and state office and election to a national party role representing California.

Her degrees are in political science and public administration. Her documented political activity spans municipal office, a county contest, state legislative campaigns and service as one of California’s representatives to the Democratic National Committee.

HOME GROUND

The Tracy City Council is Ransom’s documented local elected office. In 2020, she ran for the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, narrowly losing the general election to Robert Rickman.

In 2022, Ransom was elected as one of 30 representatives for California to the Democratic National Committee. She also sought state legislative office.

Taken together, the council seat, the supervisors campaign and the party post document several parts of her political work. She has held municipal office, sought county office and represented California at the Democratic National Committee. Her record includes a close county loss, election to a party role and a legislative campaign whose destination changed at the last minute.

THE SWITCH

Ransom initially entered the contest for California’s 5th state Senate district. She had the California Democratic Party’s endorsement and faced realtor Edith Villapudua.

On the day before California’s candidate filing deadline, Carlos and Edith Villapudua switched races, with Carlos running for the Senate and Edith running for his Assembly seat. Former U.S. Representative Jerry McNerney then entered the Senate contest, and Ransom moved into the Assembly election. The changes produced two matchups: Ransom against Edith Villapudua for the Assembly, and McNerney against Carlos Villapudua for the Senate.

Ransom won her race, and McNerney won his. Ransom began with a party endorsement in the Senate contest and moved to the Assembly contest after the candidate changes. The result put her in the Assembly representing District 13.

WHAT TO KNOW

Ransom’s documented record identifies her offices, campaigns, education and Democratic National Committee role. No specific bill, vote or policy cause is identified in that record, so it does not support attaching her name to a single policy program.

The record establishes service on the Tracy City Council, a campaign for the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, representation of California at the Democratic National Committee and state legislative office. The corresponding constituencies include Tracy during her council service, the San Joaquin County supervisors electorate, California in her DNC role and Assembly District 13.

Her record includes local office, a narrow county defeat, election to a national party role and a late switch from a state Senate campaign to an Assembly contest that she won.