In 2008, Borgeas started his political career by running successfully for the Fresno City Council. California. In 2012, Borgeas was elected to the Fresno County Board of Supervisors. In November 2018, Borgeas won the election and became a Republican member of California State Senate for District 8. Borgeas defeated Democrat Paulina Miranda with 59.6% of the votes.
In October 2019, Borgeas was invited by President Donald J. Trump to witness the signing of two executive orders at the White House. The orders require government agencies to publish guidance documents online and require the government to inform citizens about cases brought against them, and respond to their arguments.
Personal life
Borgeas' wife is Anna. They have two sons. Borgeas and his family live in Fresno, California. Borgeas has said growing up in Phoenix, Arizona helped shape his political views at an early age. 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 and as an advocate for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
Political Views
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.
CEQA Reform
Borgeas has been a staunch advocate for California Environmental Quality Act reform. In an op-ed Borgeas stated "...CEQA has morphed into a legal weapon for lawyers and activist groups to stall essential projects..." and narrowly passed Senate Bill 659 through the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Assembly Bill 5
Borgeas has been a fierce opponent of Assembly Bill 5 passed by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez in 2019. In a tweet, Borgeas claimed AB 5 "...limit 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." He organized a town hall at Clovis Community College to discuss the bill's impact on freelancers and independent contractors.
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. Borgeas has also vocalized support for the federal government's plan to increase water deliveries to California farmers. During President Donald J. 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.”
Key Legislation
Inyo Adventure Trails
In 2019 Governor Gavin Newsom signed Borgeas' Senate Bill 402 allowing the Adventure Trails system in Inyo County to remain in operation and provide the community access to trails. The bill had support from the Inyo County Board of Supervisors, the Off Road Legislative Association, and the Rural County Representatives of California.
CEQA Reform
As an advocate for CEQA reform, Borgeas introduced SB 659. SB 659 would have allowed courts to award attorney’s fees to a prevailing party in CEQA lawsuits if they found that the losing party engaged in bad faith tactics that employed to unreasonably delay a project. The bill was limited to awarding attorney's fees for CEQA suits specifically concerning infill housing projects. In a narrow 5-4 vote, the bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee earning the support of several Democrat lawmakers. Ultimately, the bill was killed in the Senate Rules Committee and the bill's Democrat supporters were removed from the committee.
Committees
As a member of the California State Senate, Borgeas serves on a number of committees. He is Vice-Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, with other committee assignments including Governmental Organization; Insurance; Natural Resources and Water; Joint Legislative Audit; Growing Impact of Artificial Intelligence in California; California, Armenia & Artsakh Mutual Trade, Art & Cultural Exchange; Preparing California’s Future Workforce; California’s Wine Industry; and Governor’s 2019 Report: “Wildfires and Climate Change – California’s Energy Future.”
