Andreas Borgeas

Andreas Borgeas (born March 7, 1974) is an American attorney, politician, and academic who served as a member of the California State Senate from the 8th district, which included parts of the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada. Prior to being elected to the state Senate, he was a member of the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. He represented all or portions of Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Inyo, Madera, Mariposa, Mono, Sacramento, Stanislaus, Tulare, and Tuolumne counties.[1][2]

Andreas Borgeas
Member of the California State Senate
from the 8th district
In office
December 3, 2018 – December 5, 2022
Preceded byTom Berryhill
Succeeded byAngelique Ashby
Personal details
Born (1974-03-07) March 7, 1974
Arizona, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseAnna Hadjinlian
Children2
EducationCalifornia State University, Fresno (BA)
Georgetown University (JD)
Panteion University (PhD)
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and education

Borgeas is a native of Arizona. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from California State University, Fresno, a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law School, and a PhD in international affairs from Panteion University.[3][4] He conducted his PhD field research in, and published extensively on, China and the neighboring Central Asian republics.[5]

Career

Academics and law

Borgeas conducted his PhD field research in, and published extensively on, China and the neighboring Central Asian Republics, receiving his graduate education at Georgetown Law School, Harvard University and Panteion University (Athens) of Political Sciences. After graduating, Borgeas was a law clerk for Judge Oliver Wanger of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. Borgeas then practiced law at Luce Forward.[1][3] For over a decade he has been a professor in the fields of international law and security affairs at the San Joaquin College of Law in Clovis, California and is an adjunct professor at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey.[5]

As an educator, he has worked in numerous international professional and academic capacities; including, as a Fulbright Scholar, Contributing Fellow for the Woodrow Wilson Center, Policy Specialist Fellow at the U.S. Embassy in Kazakhstan[6] and was appointed by House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy as commissioner on the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission.[7]

Local politics

In 2008, Borgeas started his political career by running successfully for the Fresno City Council.[1][3] In 2012, Borgeas was elected to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors; he was re-elected in 2016.[1][8]

California State Senate
Andreas Borgeas on the Senate floor (2018)

In November 2018, Borgeas was elected as a Republican to the California State Senate, representing the 8th district. Borgeas defeated Democrat Paulina Miranda with 59.6% of the votes.[1][3]

Borgeas serves as chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee and vice chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.[5]

On January 11, 2022, Borgeas announced he would not seek a second term in the state Senate.[9]

White House visit

In October 2019, Borgeas was invited by President Donald Trump to witness the signing of two executive orders at the White House.[10]

2022 congressional special election
Main article: 2022 California's 22nd congressional district special election

After incumbent Congressman Devin Nunes announced that he would resign from California's 8th congressional district to become CEO of the Trump Media & Technology Group, Borgeas formed an exploratory committee to consider a campaign for the seat.[11][12]

On January 6, 2022, Borgeas announced that he was suspending his campaign for the United States House of Representatives.

Political positions

Bipartisanship

Borgeas has been lauded for his bipartisan leadership when it comes to addressing regional issues on numerous occasions. The Fresno Bee has acknowledged Borgeas' objective and deft handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] Borgeas also successfully spearheaded, with his Democratic colleague, Anna Caballero, a bipartisan effort to deliver $2.6 billion to small businesses impacted by COVID-19.[14]

Borgeas has been praised by The Modesto Bee,[15] The Fresno Bee,[16] and The Sacramento Bee[17] for being one of the few Republicans to condemn the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol. The Sacramento Bee noted: "...state Sen. Andreas Borgeas, R-Fresno, who is apparently the only one of California’s nine Republican state senators willing to directly say the truth."[17]

CEQA reform

Borgeas has been a staunch advocate for California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) reform. In an op-ed Borgeas stated "...CEQA has morphed into a legal weapon for lawyers and activist groups to stall essential projects..."[18] and narrowly passed Senate Bill 659 through the Senate Judiciary Committee.[19]

Assembly Bill 5
Main article: California Assembly Bill 5 (2019)

Borgeas has been an opponent of California Assembly Bill 5, passed by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez in 2019. In a tweet, Borgeas claimed AB 5 "...limit[s] an individual's ability for flexible employment and destroys entire industries across California. Independent contractors and small businesses are the backbone of a thriving California economy."[20] He organized a town hall at Clovis Community College to discuss the bill's impact on freelancers and independent contractors.[21]

Water

Borgeas has advocated for state and federal support to improve the Friant-Kern Canal, which is critical for water delivery to the agricultural industry in the San Joaquin Valley. Senate Bill 559 introduced by state Senator Melissa Hurtado would have allocated $400 million in state funding to make necessary repairs to the canal as a result of subsidence from groundwater overdraft.[22]

Borgeas has also vocalized support for the federal government's plan to increase water deliveries to California farmers. During then-President Donald Trump's visit to the San Joaquin Valley in February 2020, Borgeas stated,"The ball is now in Governor Newsom's court to provide clean, reliable and ample water supplies to Valley farmers and communities. The state must ensure that infrastructure and storage are a top priority. It's simple: no water, no farms, and no food."[23]

Taxes and the economy

Borgeas has received high marks from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association[24] and the California Chamber of Commerce.[25]

Personal life

Borgeas and his wife, Anna, have two sons. Borgeas and his family live in Fresno, California.[3][8] Borgeas has said growing up in Phoenix, Arizona helped shape his political views at an early age.[26] Borgeas is known to be heavily involved in Fresno's Greek and Armenian communities. He is also known for his involvement with the Fresno Greek Fest[27] and as an advocate for the recognition of the Armenian genocide.[28]

See also

References
  1. "Senator Andreas Borgeas". cssrc.us. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  2. Edinger, Marie (December 15, 2020). "State Senator Andreas Borgeas named Chairman of Agriculture Committee". KMPH.
  3. "Andrea's Borgeas' Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  4. "KU Andreas Borgeas | Capitol Morning Report". capitolmr.com. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  5. "Biography". Senator Andreas Borgeas. October 9, 2012. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  6. "Biography". Senator Andreas Borgeas. Archived from the original on April 25, 2019. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  7. "Andreas Borgeas, PhD U.S.- CHINA | ECONOMIC and SECURITY REVIEW COMMISSION". www.uscc.gov.
  8. "A Fresnan Will Represent District 8 in State Senate. Who Will It Be?". gvwire.com. September 10, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2019.
  9. "Andreas Borgeas will not seek re-election to state senate". January 11, 2022.
  10. Taub, David (October 11, 2019). "Borgeas Goes to White House. Talks About Trump Meeting". GV Wire. Granville Homes.
  11. KFSN (December 8, 2021). "CA senator Andreas Borgeas will run to replace Devin Nunes in Congress". ABC30 Fresno. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  12. Edinger, Marie (December 7, 2021). "State Senator Andreas Borgeas looking to fill Devin Nunes' U.S. Congress Seat". KMPH. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  13. Warszawski, Marek. "Coronavirus crisis separates real leaders among Fresno politicians from the phonies". The Fresno Bee. McClatchy.
  14. Gligich, Daniel (February 16, 2021). "Backed by half of Calif. legislature, Borgeas' business relief plan picks up statewide support". The San Joaquin Valley Sun.
  15. Stapley, Garth. "Capitol riot, local COVID vaccinations put good, questionable leadership on display". The Modesto Bee.
  16. Miller, Thaddeus. "'It must end immediately.' Fresno-area, Valley leaders react as mob storms U.S. Capitol". The Fresno Bee.
  17. The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board. "These fascist Republican Party leaders have deep roots in California's state Capitol". The Sacramento Bee.
  18. Borgeas, Andreas. "Legislation Is More Effective Than Litigation". mymotherlode.com.
  19. Regele, Adam (May 2, 2019). "Job Creator Housing Bill Narrowly Passes Senate Committee". Advocacy – California Chamber of Commerce.
  20. Catherine, Thorbecke. "How California's decision to recognize ride-share drivers as employees affects the gig economy". ABC News.
  21. Zamora, Eric. "Watch a Fresno panel discussing AB 5's negatives for the job market". The Fresno Bee. McClatchy.
  22. "FEDS TO TACKLE FRIANT-KERN CANAL SUBSIDENCE". The Business Journal. December 4, 2019.
  23. George, Carmen. "What did Trump sign in Bakersfield? What we know about why he came to the Valley". The Fresno Bee. McClatchy.
  24. "Legislative Report Cards". Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
  25. "Legislator Vote Record". Advocacy – California Chamber of Commerce.
  26. Taub, David (September 10, 2018). "A Fresnan Will Represent District 8 in State Senate. Who Will It Be?". GV Wire. Granville Homes.
  27. Warszawski, Marek. "It took me 20 years to attend the Fresno Greek Fest. Don't make the same mistake". The Fresno Bee. McClatchy.
  28. McEwen, Bill (October 30, 2019). "House Recognizes Armenian Genocide in Rebuke to Turkey". GV Wire. Granville Homes.
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