Fresno Council President Karbassi Steps Down to Focus on Supervisor Race

Mike Karbassi relinquished the Fresno City Council presidency at noon Monday, stepping away from the gavel after two consecutive years to concentrate fully on his June primary campaign for the Fresno County Board of Supervisors District 1 seat.

Karbassi will continue representing District 2 on the council, where his term runs through January 2029. He announced the decision in an email to his six colleagues Friday, writing: "It has been a tremendous honor to have your trust in leading the Fresno City Council for two consecutive years. I have been grateful for the opportunity to work alongside you to move Fresno forward."

"I'm excited to devote my full attention to campaigning for a better Fresno County and continue fighting for Fresno residents while representing District 2," he told the Fresno Bee.

In the email, Karbassi pointed to budget pressures as an immediate council challenge and pledged to keep pushing on affordable housing, tax base expansion, and public safety from his seat as a council member. He endorsed District 7 Councilmember Nelson Esparza, currently the council's vice president, to take over the presidency, though the remaining councilmembers must formally elect a successor. Under the body's prior rules, Councilmember Miguel Arias would have been next in the rotation. Esparza responded that he looks forward to earning his colleagues' support "to lead the Council for the remainder of my tenure at City Hall."

The timing carries an unusual wrinkle for Karbassi's campaign. His resignation came one week after the March 6 filing deadline for the June 2 primary. The Fresno County Clerk's Office currently lists his main occupation as "president of the Fresno City Council," and that designation is expected to appear on ballots delivered to District 1 voters. Ballot designations are generally not altered after the filing deadline absent a court order.

Karbassi's path to a two-year run at the presidency was itself the product of a recent rule change. The City Council had historically rotated the presidency among members each year, but a 2024 ordinance updated the city code to allow consecutive terms. The council unanimously reelected Karbassi to a second term in January, making him the first councilmember in more than 20 years to hold the post consecutively. Fresnoland reports he lobbied colleagues for that re-election on January 15.

The District 1 supervisor seat Karbassi is pursuing covers a wide swath of the region, stretching from Highway 99 west beyond Del Rio and Firebaugh. Incumbent Brian Pacheco is not seeking re-election; GV Wire reports Pacheco is running for state Assembly in the June 2 primary. Five other candidates have filed for the seat: Kerman Mayor Maria Pacheco, nonprofit executive Eric Payne, West Hills Community College District Trustee Omar Hernandez, Mendota Unified Trustee Lupe Flores, and Firebaugh City Councilmember Felipe Perez. Karbassi announced his supervisor bid in December.