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Melissa Melendez

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Melissa Melendez
Melendez in 2021
Member of the California State Senate
from the 28th district
In office
May 18, 2020 – December 5, 2022
Preceded byJeff Stone
Succeeded byLola Smallwood-Cuevas
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 67th district
In office
December 3, 2012 – May 18, 2020
Preceded byJim Silva (redistricted)
Succeeded byKelly Seyarto
Personal details
Born
Melissa Ann Schneider

(1968-02-17) February 17, 1968 (age 56)
Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseNico Melendez
Children5
Alma materChaminade University (BA)
University of Phoenix (MBA)
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy
Battles/warsPersian Gulf War

Melissa Ann Melendez (née Schneider; born February 17, 1968) is an American politician who served in the California State Senate. A Republican, she represented the 28th District from 2012 to 2022, which encompassed large portions of Riverside County.[1] She previously served in the California State Assembly and on the Lake Elsinore City Council.[2]

Early life

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Melendez is a native of Youngstown, Ohio. After high school, she enlisted in the United States Navy. She attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, where she learned Russian.[3]

While serving in the Navy, Melendez also attended college in the evenings, and received her BA in History and Political Studies from the Chaminade University of Honolulu in Honolulu, Hawaii.[citation needed]

Career

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Melendez was one of the first women to fly aboard EP-3 aircraft overseas.[citation needed] She was a Russian language translator for ten years, and was part of flight missions during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm.[citation needed]

After the Navy, Melendez worked at Chaminade University for two years before deciding to establish her own business.[citation needed] She then formed a transcription company, contracting with the Navy.[3] Melendez earned her MBA from the University of Phoenix in June 2008. In 2008, Melendez was elected to the Lake Elsinore City Council. She served as Mayor Pro Tem as well as Mayor during her four years in local government.[citation needed]

After incumbent State Senator Jeff Stone announced his resignation to work as a regional director at the U.S. Department of Labor, a special election was ordered to fill his vacant seat. After advancing in the March 3, 2020, special election, Melendez won the runoff election held on May 12 over the Democratic nominee, Riverside County School Board Trustee Elizabeth Romero and was sworn into the Senate on May 18.[4][5][6]

The day after the 2020 United States presidential election, prior to a winner being declared, she claimed that Democrats were attempting to steal the election.[7]

Electoral history

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2020 California State Senate

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California's 28th State Senate district special election, 2020
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Melissa Melendez 81,918 40.5
Democratic Elizabeth Romero 47,516 23.5
Democratic Joy Silver 42,222 20.9
Republican John Schwab 24,536 12.1
Democratic Anna Nevenic 5,912 2.9
Total votes 202,104 100.0
General election
Republican Melissa Melendez 105,525 55.4
Democratic Elizabeth Romero 84,902 44.6
Total votes 190,427 100.0

2018 California State Assembly

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See also: California State Assembly election, 2018
California's 67th State Assembly district election, 2018
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Melissa Melendez (incumbent) 54,089 67.1
Democratic Michelle Singleton 26,474 32.9
Total votes 80,563 100.0
General election
Republican Melissa Melendez (incumbent) 93,519 60.9
Democratic Michelle Singleton 60,015 39.1
Total votes 153,534 100.0
Republican hold

2016 California State Assembly

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See also: California State Assembly election, 2016
California's 67th State Assembly district election, 2016
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Melissa Melendez (incumbent) 51,987 63.5
Democratic Jorge Lopez 29,924 36.5
Total votes 81,911 100.0
General election
Republican Melissa Melendez (incumbent) 107,654 63.8
Democratic Jorge Lopez 60,996 36.2
Total votes 168,650 100.0
Republican hold

2014 California State Assembly

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See also: California State Assembly elections, 2014
California's 67th State Assembly district election, 2014
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Melissa Melendez (incumbent) 32,268 99.8
Democratic Conrad Melton (write-in) 58 0.2
Total votes 32,326 100.0
General election
Republican Melissa Melendez (incumbent) 54,018 68.9
Democratic Conrad Melton 24,386 31.1
Total votes 78,404 100.0
Republican hold

2012 California State Assembly

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See also: California State Assembly election, 2012
California's 67th State Assembly district election, 2012
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Phil Paule 11,951 27.7
Republican Melissa Melendez 10,084 23.3
Republican Bob Magee 8,672 20.1
Republican Kenneth C. Dickson 8,216 19.0
Republican William T. Akana 4,291 9.9
Total votes 43,214 100.0
General election
Republican Melissa Melendez 67,232 52.3
Republican Phil Paule 61,230 47.7
Total votes 128,462 100.0
Republican hold

References

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  1. ^ "Members". California State Assembly. State of California. 2011. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  2. ^ "Melissa Melendez Biography". California State Assembly Republican Caucus. California State Assembly. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  3. ^ a b "Meet Melissa - Melendez for Senate". Retrieved September 2, 2022.
  4. ^ Special election dates set to fill Sen. Jeff Stone's seat News Channel 3, November 15, 2019
  5. ^ "Melissa Melendez wins California Senate seat in special election". The Mercury News. The Associated Press. May 13, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  6. ^ Metz, Sam. "California State Senate special election: GOP's Melissa Melendez leads Elizabeth Romero". Desert Sun. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  7. ^ "California Republican leaders go all in on Trump's election subterfuge, but some are more vocal than others". Los Angeles Times. November 20, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
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