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.
- State Assembly · Assembly District 13 · 2024–present
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.
The record
409 events, each with its sourceRelative to National 4-H Week.
Relative to Home Hardening Week.
Relative to California’s First-Generation College Celebration Month.
Relative to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Awareness Month.
Relative to Student Cancer Education, Detection, and Prevention Week.
Relative to Young Women’s Reproductive Health Awareness Month.
Relative to Transgender History Month.
Relative to Sarcoma Awareness Month.
Relative to Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency Awareness Day.
Relative to racial discrimination.
Relative to Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
California Firefighter Appreciation Month and California Firefighters Memorial Day.
Relative to Chicano Heritage Month.
Relative to Probation Services Week.
Relative to International Referees’ Day.
Relative to California Wildflower Week.
Relative to California Craft Beer Week.
Relative to Section 230 of the federal Communications Decency Act of 1996.
Alzheimer’s Disease and Brain Awareness Month.
Electronic Dance Music Month.
Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Relative to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month.
Behavioral Health Awareness Month.
California Native American Day and the California Indian Cultural Awareness Conference.
Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Awareness Month.
Congenital Cytomegalovirus Awareness Month.
Restoration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Lyme Disease Awareness Month.
Relative to Black Music Month.
Relative to International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia.
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month.
Italian American Heritage Month.
Jewish American Heritage Month.
California Small Business Month.
Foster Youth Awareness Month.
National Gun Violence Awareness Day.
California Day of the Teacher.