Edith Villapudua
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Edith Villapudua (Democratic Party) ran for election to the California State Assembly to represent District 13. She lost in the primary on March 5, 2024.
Villapudua also ran for election to the California State Senate to represent District 5. She did not appear on the ballot for the primary on March 5, 2024.
Villapudua completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Edith Villapudua was born in Los Angeles, California. She earned a high school diploma from Edison High School. She graduated from Heald Business College. Her career experience includes working as a real estate professional. She has been affiliated with the Rotary Club.[1]
Elections
2024
California State Assembly
General election
Nonpartisan primary election
Campaign finance
Endorsements
To view Villapudua's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Villapudua in this election.
California State Senate
General election
Nonpartisan primary election
Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
2024
California State Assembly
Video for Ballotpedia
Video submitted to Ballotpedia Released January 12, 2024
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Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Edith Villapudua completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Villapudua's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Growing up in Stockton as the daughter of Latino immigrants, I witnessed the sacrifices my parents made to provide for our family and how important community was in our journey toward the American dream. This instilled in me a deep commitment to public service. I balanced obtaining my college degree while raising my daughters as a single mother until I met my husband. My career began at CalWORKs and I later worked as an immigration consultant at El Concilio where I served Latino communities of the Central Valley, handling immigration issues and also coordinated with the Consulate to assist immigrants with their legal and financial matters. I obtained my tax preparer license through the VITA program to assist my community with access to public benefits. I served as an investigator in the San Joaquin Public Defender's office for 11 years, gaining a deep understanding of our justice system. I later worked as an investigator with the San Joaquin Public Conservator’s office, protecting seniors and at-risk individuals and their assets. My husband and I were also small business owners. I’m running for office to continue my commitment to this community, where I live with my husband, four daughters, and a new grandchild. Every day, I am driven to support our most vulnerable populations–I believe that my lived experiences and dedication to my community will make a difference in the lives of seniors, immigrants, working families, small business owners, young people, and families.
- My home-grown connection to Stockton and my journey from the daughter of Latino immigrants to a dedicated public servant have inspired me to run to give back further to my community. My time providing government resources assistance, along with my work as a county investigator and background in public service, and my passion for helping people, especially vulnerable and marginalized communities, have given me the experience to continue fostering a community where every individual has the opportunity to thrive. I understand the struggles and barriers of families, small business owners, and the underserved, and I am committed to bringing about real change and support through my leadership in the Assembly.
- If elected, one of my main priorities and focus areas will be to enhance public safety and tackle issues like petty theft, burglaries, crime, and keeping the spread of street drugs like fentanyl from reaching our children. As a candidate dedicated to creating safer communities, I am honored to have the endorsement of leading public safety organizations, public safety officers, and respected leaders in my community. If elected, I will be fully dedicated to addressing crime and ensuring that those who commit them are punished fairly. Our community deserves to be safe and protected and I am committed to providing solutions that are collaborative and put residents first.
- I am focused on revitalizing our economy and making living in our community more affordable. I am committed to tackling the high cost of living by advocating for policies that support affordable housing and workforce housing, ensuring that homeownership and renting are within reach for everyone. Additionally, I am dedicated to bolstering our local economy by providing support to small businesses, empowering them, and working with them to find solutions that encourage growth and innovation. Workforce training will ensure our community members are equipped with the skills needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow.
My top three priorities are to enhance public safety, tackle the cost of living and housing affordability, and ensure government accountability and accessibility. I am committed to working toward safer neighborhoods and addressing issues such as petty theft, home and car burglaries, and keeping street drugs like fentanyl out of the hands of our kids. We must address the soaring cost of living—I aim to develop and support policies that focus on creating affordable housing solutions and ensure that individuals can live within the communities they work. I am dedicated to keeping our government accountable and accessible, ensuring that public benefits can reach those in need and that our tax dollars are used effectively and efficiently.
Assemblywoman Dr. Jasmeet Bains votes by her District’s needs and is the type of legislator I aspire to be.
Above all I believe that elected officials should act with compassion, transparency and integrity. Leaders who have a strong connection to the community they serve and who always put the needs of their constituents first are the ones who are most effective. Leaders must have empathy, understanding, and the courage needed to tackle the challenges and needs of their constituents, businesses, and communities. I believe that effective leaders are always actively listening to the concerns of their community, regardless of political party, and that their policies directly reflect those needs. Leaders must be able to adapt, be collaborative, and be innovative. These are characteristics and principles I look for in a leader and what I strive to be everyday.
I am experienced in serving our unique community. I am empathetic, compassionate, and I have a well-balanced approach to decision-making.
I believe my core responsibilities include representing the interests and well-being of my constituents, upholding the principles and laws of the governance system, and making informed and ethical decisions that contribute to the progress and stability of the community and state that I serve. My responsibilities include being open, accessible, and having transparent communication with the community. In terms of legislative duties and responsibilities, I will work to thoroughly understand the complexities and implications of each issue and to base my decisions on research, evidence, and feedback, rather than my own interests or external pressures. I will also work to manage public funds fairly, while being transparent in my actions and decisions, and holding myself and others in office to the highest ethical standards--my community's trust is fundamental and I am committed to being accountable for my actions and the outcomes of my decisions. Lastly, I am committed to ensuring that my community receives it’s fair share of services and support from their government. I want my office to be a resource and a place where anyone can come and find help and an advocate.
I hope to leave the world in a better place.. I hope I will be able to inspire and mentor other leaders, young people, and women to lead with empathy, integrity, and hard-work for their communities. As a Latina and daughter of immigrants, I hope that I can significantly build upon what the American dream is for them and people like my parents.
My first language was Spanish. Growing up, I didn't pay much attention to English-spoken news, as I grew up watching Spanish stations. I recall seeing President Bill Clinton being sworn into office and traveling through the streets of Washington DC, while I was in class when I was 14 years old. That same year, the most significant event that I vividly recall are the LA Riots after the Rodney King trial. The public was not happy with the verdict and took their frustrations to the streets of Los Angeles.
My first job was working as a mentor with elementary kids within McKinley Elementary School (South Stockton school). I provided tutoring services to children who were behind in reading, writing, and math. My schedule was to work during school hours, earning me Work Experience credit as well as a unit credit for high school.
I would be Merida from Disney's movie Brave!
With an 8 old daughter, we spend a lot of time singing around the house. “Pure Imagination” from the new Willy Wonka movie has been a hot hit for us recently!
Before I met my husband of 20 years, I was a single mother, balancing school and work while taking care of my girls. It was a challenging time, but taught me many valuable life lessons that I wouldn’t trade for the world. I never take my life for granted now and I owe it all to the struggles my family and I have had to overcome.
While the Governor and the legislature are 2 separate branches of government, I believe the ideal relationship between the governor and the state legislature is a collaborative yet balanced partnership. We should always strive for open dialogue, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to uplift all residents of California. I also believe in the appropriate checks and balances between the two branches. It is important for a legislator to advocate for their constituents with the governor and their agencies, not only to advance legislation but also to ensure they are well-informed about the priorities, needs, and challenges of the legislator's district and their constituents. This collaboration involves clear communication, regular updates, and constructive feedback, allowing for an ongoing dialogue of ideas and solutions. At the same time, the legislature should be able to have independence and an oversight role, ensuring that the executive actions align with the law and the public. A balanced governance system will be efficient, responsive, accountable, and effective in serving the people it represents.
Over the next decade, I anticipate that our state's greatest challenges will be to ensure a safe and sustainable future for all residents. We must address the ever increasing costs of living and our housing crisis, enhance public safety, particularly in combating the growing epidemic of dangerous street drugs like fentanyl, and boost our economy.
No. I believe what is most important is that the legislator have deep roots in the community they serve, ethics, integrity, intelligence and the courage to fight for their constituents.
Absolutely. The most effective legislators are those that are able to build coalitions both with members of their own party and also able to reach across party lines. It is critical to the success of bold policies to gather consensus to foster real change.
Personally, I looked up to late Supervisor Dario Marenco. He was a business owner (a dentist) and a social activist, who walked with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the 1960s. He always put community first and I aspire to be like him. I would routinely go to his home when my husband, Carlos, was running for County Supervisor, then again for his reelection. He always guided us and ingrained our grassroots efforts to our core! I still think of him very fondly and tears develop when I speak of him. He was such a giving person without ever expecting anything in return.
My only focus is to represent and serve the people of San Joaquin County in the 13th Assembly District.
I have countless stories about the frustrations of the fentanyl epidemic. Many lives have been affected within the district. Children specifically are being heavily affected. A story that a parent shared with me was about attempting to help their own child while they were suffering from fentanyl. The other parent who provided CPR while assisting the child passed away due to contact with fentanyl. That current child is now survived by the parent who shared this story. This is one case of many and I plan on tackling this issue because we cannot afford to lose any more of our children or family members.
“What’s the difference between a poorly dressed man on a tricycle and a well-dressed man on a bicycle?”
“Attire.”
Appropriate checks and balances are always important.
There are thousands of codes and regulations that reside within current California law that are woefully outdated, obsolete and out of touch with current times. Many of these laws hurt our current small businesses and communities. If we want to see California thrive and continue its course as the world’s 5th largest economy we must dedicate ourselves to not just churning out new legislation every year, but to modernizing and adapting our current structures.
Ron Freitas, San Joaquin County DA
Supervisor Robert Rickman
Speaker Emeritus of the Assembly Anthony Rendon
Asm. Avelino Valencia
Asm. Carlos Villapudua
Asm. Heath Flora
Asm. Dr. Jasmeet Bains
Asm. Juan Carrillo
Asm. Lisa Calderon
Asm. Phil Ting
Asm. Stephanie Nguyen
Sheriff Jim Cooper
Councilmember Dan Evans
Supervisor Mani Grewal
Councilmember Michael Blower
Mayor Pro Tempore of Tracy Eleassia Davis
SJ Delta College Board Trustees Janet Rivera
CA Correctional Peace Officers Association
CA Association of Highway Patrolmen
Stockton Firefighters Local 456
Stockton Police Officers Association
LiUNA Local 73
CA Latino Legislative Caucus Public Safety, Agriculture, Transportation, Human Services and Housing
I believe that financial transparency and government accountability are among the most critical responsibilities elected officials need to uphold. The government should always be accountable by continually allowing access to information as well as providing it in a way that is easy to understand.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
California State Senate
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Edith Villapudua did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on February 6, 2024
Leadership
Majority Leader:Cecilia Aguiar-Curry
Minority Leader:James Gallagher
Representatives
Democratic Party (60)
Republican Party (20)