Dr. Joaquin Arambula was born in Delano and has spent almost his entire life in the Central Valley.  At an early age, his parents instilled in him a commitment to hard work and public service, as well as a dedication to making the Central Valley a better place to live, work, and raise a family.

A product of Fresno public schools and former Head Start student, Joaquin attended medical school with the goal of serving the health care needs of rural communities.  After medical school, he immediately returned to the Valley and worked as an emergency room doctor at Adventist Medical Center in Selma, serving patients from many, rural farm-working communities in the San Joaquin Valley.  In 2012 he was appointed Medical Director.  Under his leadership, the Selma Emergency Department was recognized as one of the most efficient emergency departments in the state.

Joaquin is known as a team player with strong decision-making skills in the constantly fast-paced, high-stress environment of the ER.  As a physician, he has been on the frontlines of some of the Valley’s most serious problems, and he has seen the issues that impact the lives of Valley residents. He is committed to ensuring everyone gets the care they deserve, regardless of their social or economic status.

In the same way that Joaquin put the care of his patients first, he will always put the people of the Central Valley above politics.

Joaquin and his wife, Elizabeth live in Kingsburg with their three young daughters. 

I was born in Havre, Montana; a town about the size of Firebaugh.  My family is from Turner which is 75 miles away, next to the Canadian border.  I spent my summers in Montana when I was growing up working on my Grandfather’s farm and cattle ranch.

My father was a Truck mechanic and eventually became a Fleet Manager.  Although he never graduated from High School, he learned to use computers and AutoCAD and set up a custom truck manufacturing facility.  He is the smartest Mechanical Engineer I know who never graduated from High School.  My mother was a housewife when we were young.  As my sister and I grew up she went to work as a secretary at a bank and eventually became a Sheriff Deputy for Los Angeles County.

I grew up in Monterey Park, about 6 miles east of Downtown Los Angeles.  After graduating from Schurr High School I went to USC and earned a degree in Engineering.  I was able to attend USC because I received California State Scholarships and federal grants, and I worked while going to school.  When I graduated from USC I had about $5,000 in student loans.

My first job was working at a Pizza Hut restaurant when I was 15.  The manager quit about 3 weeks after I was hired and the regional manager taught me how to do the books, make the deposits at the bank, do all the prep work and close down the store at night.  At 15 I was the night manager of a Pizza Hut restaurant.

My second job was a bag boy at Market Basket.  Way less responsibility than Pizza Hut, and more money because it was a union job.  I stayed there until I graduated from High School.

During College I worked at a Disk Drive plant that made huge drives the size of two stereo receivers with a capacity of 10 Mbytes.  I also worked at a Power Supply company and was a R&D technician at a defense contractor.  I went to work for Hewlett-Packard when I was a Junior in college and stayed with them after I graduated with my Engineering degree.

I moved to Hawaii in the 80’s and lived there for nine years.  I learned to fly while I lived in Hawaii and eventually earned an ATP with a type rating in Boeing 737s.  When Hurricane Iniki struck Kauai in 1992 I was managing an aircraft for a corporate client.  I convinced my client to donate the use of his plane and I donated my flying expertise and I flew supplies and personnel for the Salvation Army for about 3 weeks straight.  During this time I flew Steven Spielberg and some of the cast members from Jurassic Park off of Kauai where they were filming when Iniki struck.

I returned to USC and earned my MBA in 1996.  I worked for KPMG and Racal Instruments before returning to Aviation and becoming the Assistant Chief Pilot for Atlantic Coast Airlines at New York’s La Guardia airport.

I met a wonderful schoolteacher from Caruthers in 2007, and have made my home here ever since.

I have run 6 marathons, completed the Ironman Triathlon and rode a bicycle from Vancouver, BC to Tijuana, BC all the way along the Pacific Coast.  I covered 2004 miles in 21 days, on a bike that weighed 75 pounds with all my gear.  I later would learn that was about the same length and time as the Tour de France.

I grew up in the Lutheran Church, was a Deacon at the Central Union Church in Honolulu, and am now a member of the Caruthers Methodist Church.  I enjoy cooking and have prepared food for the Community Café many times.

I want to put my talent and energy to work for the people of the 31st Assembly District.   I’ve been politically active for a couple of years and have observed how broken the political system is in Fresno.  I’ve observed politicians who call themselves Democrats but who vote against the interests of Democratic voters and in favor of wealthy contributors.  I don't have the backing - or agenda - of medical/political PAC's. My only interest is to serve the people of the 31^st Assembly District in the way they deserve to be represented – fairly.

I want to represent the hard working people of the 31st Assembly District.  I do not represent the rich moneyed interests that provide the millions of dollars and call the shots in the "viable" campaigns of my opponents.

I am a Democrat.  I support Bernie Sanders for President, and I agree with Bernie on all issues that I have encountered.  If Bernie is not the Democratic nominee, I will vote for the Democrat in November, whomever she may be.

 Politics in Fresno is badly broken. 

 The Republicans are Trumpsters; a hop, skip and a jump away from Nazi Germany in the 1930's.

 Most of the Democrats feel compelled to assure the electorate that they are “Conservative Democrats”.  Once elected, these “Conservative Democrats” act like Republicans.  As a result, the poor people suffer.

I am an engineer with an MBA.  I have implemented technical projects and done complex financial analysis.  I understand how business works.  I also understand that people act in their own self interest.  We can’t let the “magic hand” of the free market control everything because the free market would destroy our planet, our society, and us in their never ending quest for profit above all else.

So, we need balance.  That is what I offer.