From Farming Roots to Public Service
Alexandra Duarte, a candidate for California’s Fourth State Senate District, says her decision to run comes from a lifelong commitment to farming and a deep love for America. Having lived in the United States for 30 years, Duarte explained that she has seen firsthand how policies have impacted agriculture and rural communities.
“I love everything that this country stands for, and I’ve watched the Democrats run the state to the ground and attack our way of life,” Duarte said. “Our children are now taking over the business, John is back from D.C. running the nursery, and this is something I can do. I can go and try and stop the liberal policy agenda that’s devastating us.”
Based in Stanislaus County with her husband, Congressman John Duarte, Alexandra is raising four children who have been actively involved in her campaign. Three live locally and contribute to events, campaign graphics, and website management. One daughter, who is away at school, is looking forward to joining the family effort during the holidays.
The Fourth Senate District
Duarte’s district spans a vast area of California, stretching from Truckee down to Indio, and covering 13 counties. It includes Stanislaus, El Dorado, Madera, Merced, and Mariposa counties, among others.
The seat, she explained, has historically leaned conservative. Before entering the race, Duarte sought guidance from Congressman Tom McClintock, who encouraged her to run and offered his endorsement. She also has the backing of Congressmen Jay Obernolte, Vince Fong, and David Conaway.
“This is a conservative seat, but last time six Republicans ran, which allowed two Democrats to get through to the general,” Duarte explained. The seat is currently held by Marie Alvarado-Gil, who won as a Democrat, later switched parties, but has faced criticism over missed votes and personal conduct issues. Duarte argues the district deserves consistent conservative representation.
Opposition to Proposition 50
One of the major issues Duarte is rallying against is Proposition 50. She emphasized that while the measure does not directly impact state legislative seats, it has serious implications for federal representation in California’s Central Valley.
“Prop 50 would mean we will not have representation in D.C.,” she said. “For example, Lodi would have three congresspeople. Decisions in the valley would be made in Stockton or San Francisco. This would be devastating, and we would lose the ability to fight. We have to keep our federal representation here in the valley.”
A Focus on Common-Sense Policies
Duarte stressed that the challenges facing California’s rural communities are not strictly partisan. Issues such as water, forestry management, safety, and regulatory reform, she argued, are bipartisan needs that impact all residents.
She highlighted rural water projects, including the need to pipe open ditches and connect small towns like Waterford to reliable surface water sources from the Modesto Reservoir. “There are many projects people have lined up that we can implement from Sacramento,” Duarte said. “You look after the forests, you look after the water, safety, and cut regulations. Those are bipartisan issues that will help out the district.”
Defending Agriculture in Sacramento
As a lifelong farmer, Duarte said she is prepared to represent agriculture in the state capital, even among lawmakers who may not understand the Central Valley’s way of life.
“Sacramento is in the middle of the most amazing agricultural valley in the world. There is nothing like it anywhere,” she said. “We can grow anything here—specialty crops, fruits, vegetables. Agriculture needs energy, water, fewer regulations, and labor laws that work. What agriculture needs, everybody needs.”
Her vision even extends to creative ways to highlight agriculture’s value: “My favorite fundraiser would be to do a dinner where everybody who votes to support agriculture can eat off a table filled with California-grown products. It shows exactly what we’re fighting for.”
The Next Generation of Farmers
Duarte said her children are one of her main motivations for running. Like many farm families, she wants to ensure that the next generation can build a future in California.
Programs like FFA and 4-H, she argued, play a critical role in teaching young people where their food comes from and instilling pride in farming. She recalled a story of a schoolchild shocked to see someone eat fruit directly from a tree.
“That’s the best fruit in the world,” Duarte said. “Everybody in agriculture knows that—peaches off the tree, strawberries off the plant, tomatoes off the vine. We need to encourage young programs and reconnect children with farming.”
Agriculture as Environmental Stewardship
Duarte pushed back on the notion that farming is at odds with environmentalism. She argued that farmers are the state’s best environmentalists, caring for the land, crops, and orchards as if they were part of their families.
“We live on the farms,” she said. “We’re not going to do anything too detrimental because these are our homes. All food grown in America is safe to eat, and a parent shouldn’t feel pressured to buy less produce because they think only organic is safe. American-grown food is the best thing we can do for our families.”
Fixing California’s Water Problem
Water, Duarte argued, is not a natural crisis but a man-made one. Originally from Australia, she contrasted California’s resources with her homeland’s water scarcity.
“We do not have a water issue—we have a Sacramento issue,” she said. “We live next to the longest, tallest watershed in the world. We need to dredge rivers and canals, fill our reservoirs, and recharge groundwater. With the right leadership and cooperation between state and federal agencies, we can fix this.”
Forest Management and Wildfire Prevention
For Duarte, California’s wildfire crisis is another issue that requires urgent action and better forest management. She stressed that poorly maintained state forests not only fuel catastrophic fires but also harm communities, agriculture, and wildlife.
“Forest fires are so damaging—they take away people’s homes, destroy air quality, and put massive amounts of carbon into the air,” she said. “We’ve lost two years of crops because of fire damage in our El Dorado ranch. If you look after the forests, you get more runoff into the reservoirs, which gives you more water. The birds and animals are happier in private managed forests than in the state-run forests. And better management brings down insurance costs for rural communities.”
Concerns from the Community
Duarte said she has been encouraged by the support she’s received from people across the district. Parents, business owners, and farmers have shared concerns that mirror her campaign priorities.
“Parents’ rights are very important to them,” she said. “They’re scared about the education their children are receiving in schools and about their ability to raise their children. Business owners are also frustrated by inconsistent state regulations, from trucking to farming. Nobody’s happy with the state, and a lot of it is just common sense that’s needed.”
Regulation and Its Impact on Farming
From trucking to ranching, Duarte argues that excessive regulation is choking California’s economy. She highlighted examples from her own farm, where new state mandates have added unnecessary costs and risks.
For instance, a bill regulating gates over 50 pounds—even on rural ranches—forced Duarte to seek third-party certification for simple deer gates. Another rule requires ranchers to register dumpsters with the state, doubling waste pickup frequency and increasing fuel use. She also cited stricter firearm permitting laws that create unnecessary risks for families in rural areas.
“We cannot have any regulations that are not necessary,” Duarte said. “In Sacramento, they will enforce every law when they choose to. That’s why we have to stop this regulatory overreach.”
Wildlife Management Challenges
California ranchers are also facing growing threats from wildlife, including wolves and mountain lions. Duarte explained that current state policies make it nearly impossible for farmers and ranchers to protect their livestock—or even their families.
“We have mountain lions endangering lives on our property, and yet the state won’t issue predation permits,” Duarte said. “My husband even suggested getting goats so that if the mountain lions kill the goats, we could finally get a permit. This is what it’s come to—the government doesn’t care about the danger people are facing.”
Starting with Water, Energy, and Common Sense
When asked where she would start if elected, Duarte said the solutions lie in tackling practical issues head-on while building coalitions of common-sense lawmakers.
“You deal with water, energy, and insurance,” she said. “You get mentored by people who are already making progress, like Senator Shannon Grove on energy, and you elect more sensible people at every level of government. It’s one small decision at a time, but we have to start.”
She credits her husband, Congressman John Duarte, with being a constant source of insight and support. “He gets the whole game, comes up with amazing ideas, and I’m very proud of what he did in D.C.,” she said.
Campaign on the Road
With a district spanning 13 counties, Duarte is spending much of her campaign traveling across California in her pickup truck, meeting with local officials, raising funds, and speaking with voters.
She urged those who want to get involved to connect through her campaign website, alexandraforsenate.com, by phone at (209) 961-4897, or by email at alexandra@alexandraforsenate.com. Volunteers, she said, can help by walking districts, writing postcards, or assisting at events in every county.
Preserving a Great California
At the heart of Duarte’s campaign is a vision to restore and preserve California’s greatness by protecting agriculture, reforming water and forest policies, and reducing unnecessary regulations.
“We are in crisis mode here in California,” she said. “We need to preserve a great California. Parents, farmers, small business owners—we’re all fighting for the same thing. I could not be more grateful for the support we’ve received, especially from the agricultural community. This fight is for them.”