# California's 16th senatorial district

California's 16th senatorial district is one of 40 California State Senate districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Melissa Hurtado of Bakersfield.

## District profile

The district consists of portions of southwestern Central Valley, including Kings County, western Tulare County, and northwestern Kern County.

## Election results from statewide races

| Year | Office | Results |
| 2021 | Recall | Yes 63.7 – 36.3% |
| 2020 | President | Trump 57.9 – 39.6% |
| 2018 | Governor | Cox 63.0 – 37.0% |
| 2018 | Senator | de Leon 60.5 – 39.5% |
| 2016 | President | Trump 59.0 – 35.2% |
| 2016 | Senator | Harris 54.3 – 45.7% |
| 2014 | Governor | Kashkari 64.9 – 35.1% |
| 2012 | President | Romney 61.7 – 35.9% |
| 2012 | Senator | Emken 62.1 – 37.9% |

## List of senators

Due to redistricting, the 16th district has been moved around different parts of the state. The current iteration resulted from the 2011 redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission.
| Senators | Party | Years served | Counties Represented | Notes |
| Franklin Thomas Baldwin | Democratic | January 8, 1883 - January 3, 1887 | Amador, San Joaquin | Served together with Langford. |
| Benjamin Franklin Langford | Democratic | January 8, 1883 - January 3, 1887 | Amador, San Joaquin | Served together with Langford. |
| Frank James Moffitt | Democratic | January 3, 1887 - January 5, 1891 | Alameda | |
| Eli Sherman Denison | Republican | January 5, 1891 - January 2, 1893 | Alameda | |
| George G. Goucher | Democratic | January 2, 1893 - January 7, 1895 | Fresno | |
| Alfred Joel Pedlar | Republican | January 7, 1895 - January 2, 1899 | Fresno, Madera | |
| Chester Rowell | Republican | January 2, 1899 - January 5, 1903 | Fresno, Madera | |
| Frank W. Leavitt | Republican | January 5, 1903 - January 2, 1911 | Alameda | |
| Edward J. Tyrrell | Republican | January 2, 1911 - January 6, 1919 | Alameda | Ran as a Progressive for his 2nd term. |
| Edward J. Tyrrell | Progressive | January 2, 1911 - January 6, 1919 | Alameda | Ran as a Progressive for his 2nd term. |
| A. P. Anderson | Republican | January 6, 1919 - January 8, 1923 | Alameda | |
| Edgar Sanders Hurley | Republican | January 8, 1923 - January 5, 1931 | Alameda | |
| Arthur Hastings Breed, Sr. | Republican | January 5, 1931 - January 7, 1935 | Alameda | |
| William Knowland | Republican | January 7, 1935 - January 2, 1939 | Alameda | |
| Arthur H. Breed Jr. | Republican | January 2, 1939 - January 5, 1959 | Alameda | |
| John W. Holmdahl | Democratic | January 5, 1959 - January 2, 1967 | Alameda | |
| Hugh Morrison Burns | Democratic | January 2, 1967 - January 4, 1971 | Fresno | |
| George N. Zenovich | Democratic | January 4, 1971 - November 30, 1974 | Fresno | |
| Walter W. Stiern | Democratic | December 2, 1974 - November 30, 1986 | Inyo, Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino | |
| Walter W. Stiern | Democratic | December 2, 1974 - November 30, 1986 | Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, San Bernardino | |
| Don Rogers | Republican | December 1, 1986 - December 15, 1992 | Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, San Bernardino | Resigned his seat from the 16th Senate district to assume another seat in the 17th Senate district due to redistricting. |
| Phil Wyman | Republican | May 3, 1993 – November 30, 1994 | Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, San Bernardino | Sworn in after winning special election. |
| Jim Costa | Democratic | December 5, 1994 - November 30, 2002 | Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Tulare | |
| Dean Florez | Democratic | December 2, 2002 - November 30, 2010 | Fresno, Kern, Kings, Tulare | |
| Michael Rubio | Democratic | December 6, 2010 – February 22, 2013 | Fresno, Kern, Kings, Tulare | Resigned from the Senate. |
| Andy Vidak | Republican | August 10, 2013 - November 30, 2014 | Fresno, Kern, Kings, Tulare | Sworn in after winning special election. |
| Jean Fuller | Republican | December 1, 2014 - November 30, 2018 | Kern, San Bernardino, Tulare | |
| Shannon Grove | Republican | December 3, 2018 - December 4, 2022 | Kern, San Bernardino, Tulare | Redistricted to the 12th district |
| Melissa Hurtado | Democratic | December 5, 2022 – present | Fresno, Kern, Kings, Tulare | |

## Contents

* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2013 (special)
* 2014
* 2018
* #2022

### 2022

2022 California State Senate election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | David Shepard | 32,579 | 43.4 |
| | Democratic | Melissa Hurtado (incumbent) | 22,162 | 29.6 |
| | Democratic | Nicole Parra | 9,921 | 13.2 |
| | Republican | Gregory Tatum | 6,016 | 8.0 |
| | Democratic | Bryan Osorio | 4,344 | 5.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 75,022 | 100% |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | Melissa Hurtado (incumbent) | 68,461 | 50.005 |
| | Republican | David Shepard | 68,448 | 49.995 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 136,909 | 100% |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2018

2018 California State Senate election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Shannon Grove | 90,353 | 59.1 |
| | Democratic | Ruth Musser-Lopez | 44,303 | 29.0 |
| | Republican | Gregory Tatum | 18,152 | 11.9 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 152,808 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Shannon Grove | 169,714 | 64.2 |
| | Democratic | Ruth Musser-Lopez | 94,579 | 35.8 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 264,293 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2014

2014 California State Senate election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Jean Fuller (incumbent) | 79,843 | 99.8 |
| | Democratic | Ruth Musser-Lopez (write-in) | 189 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 80,032 | 100.0 |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Jean Fuller (incumbent) | 122,700 | 72.8 |
| | Democratic | Ruth Musser-Lopez | 45,812 | 27.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 168,512 | 100.0 |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold | Republican hold |

### 2013 (special)

2013 California's 16th State Senate district special election Vacancy resulting from the resignation of Michael Rubio :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Andy Vidak | 31,610 | 49.8% |
| | Democratic | Leticia Perez | 27,854 | 43.9% |
| | Democratic | Francisco "Frank" Ramirez | 1,890 | 3.0% |
| | Democratic | Paulina Miranda | 1,623 | 2.6% |
| | Peace and Freedom | Muhammad "O" Arif | 471 | 0.7% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 63,448 | 100.0% |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Andy Vidak | 42,224 | 51.9% |
| | Democratic | Leticia Perez | 39,140 | 48.1% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 81,364 | 100.0% |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic |

### 2010

California State Senate election, 2010 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michael Rubio | 71,334 | 60.5 |
| | Republican | Tim Thiesen | 46,717 | 39.5 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 118,051 | 100.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2006

California State Senate election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Dean Florez (incumbent) | 78,146 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 78,146 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 2002

California State Senate election, 2002 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Dean Florez | 69,503 | 70.03 |
| | Republican | Blair Knox | 29,747 | 29.97 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 3,811 | 3.70 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 103,061 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1998

California State Senate election, 1998 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jim Costa (incumbent) | 92,163 | 71.91 |
| | Republican | Gregg Palmer | 36,005 | 28.09 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 9,891 | 7.16 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 138,059 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |

### 1994

California State Senate election, 1994 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Jim Costa | 70,329 | 51.57 |
| | Republican | Phil Wyman (incumbent) | 66,053 | 48.43 |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 8,529 | 5.89 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 144,911 | 100.00 |
| | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican | Democratic gain from Republican |