Rebecca Hermosillo seeks supervisor seat, gets Susan Gorin’s endorsement

Longtime Sonoma Valley resident Rebecca Hermosillo, who has served in Rep. Mike Thompson’s office for the past 10 years, on Friday announced her candidacy for Sonoma County’s District 1 Supervisor seat.

She’s already earned the endorsement of current Supervisor Susan Gorin, who will vacate the seat in 2024.

“The First District is the place I’ve called home my entire life,” Hermosillo said in a news release Friday. “I understand the challenges facing residents of all walks of life, and am committed to working as hard as ever to improve our community and quality-of-life as a member of the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.”

Hermosillo, 51, previously worked as executive director of the Valley of the Moon Teen Center, where she created programming and mentored Sonoma Valley teens. In 2013, she joined Thompson’s team as a district director and was promoted in 2021 to oversee the U.S. congressman’s Santa Rosa office.

Hermosillo said in a May 2021 Index-Tribune article she was not interested in politics, which she referred to as the “least fun part of the job.” Instead, she said at the time, she preferred to focus on the public service aspects of her work as senior district director.

But, with the support of Thompson and Gorin, she is ready to step into the political spotlight as the first candidate to publicly announce their pursuit of Gorin’s seat.

“Rebecca Hermosillo has had a pulse on our community since the day she joined our team, and has been an invaluable asset to Santa Rosa, the Sonoma Valley and 4th Congressional District,” Thompson said in a news release Friday.

“She has the leadership traits we need from our elected representatives: someone who listens, helps those in need, and advances solutions — with a strong and unique grasp of the ins and outs of government at all levels.”

Hermosillo has already raised nearly $100,000 in campaign contributions, money that will help her pursue the March 5, 2024, election, according to the release.

She’s also received public endorsements from Sonoma City Council member Jack Ding; Steve Page, former president and general manager of Sonoma Raceway; Schellville firefighters Mike Mulas and Ray Mulas; vineyard mangers Mike and Steve Sangiacomo; and Dianna MacDonald and Chris Rogers, members of the Santa Rosa City Council.

“Public service has become much more than a job — it’s a calling and the sense of purpose that keeps me motivated to get up, give back and help others day in and day out,” Hermosillo said in the release.

Hermosillo is a mother to two adult children, Cory and Ramon, as well as a grandmother to 6-year-old Mateo. She holds a degree in public administration from Park University in Parkville, Missouri.

Hermosillo’s campaign will officially kick off with an event from 1-4 p.m. April 22 at Beltane Ranch in Glen Ellen.

Sonoma County’s District 1 includes 97,853 residents, with a median age of 46.9 years and a per capita income of $51,300, according to county records. The population includes the city of Sonoma, Kenwood, Agua Caliente, Glen Ellen, El Verano, Boyes Hot Springs, Schellville and Vineburg, as well as Santa Rosa’s Bennett Valley, Rincon Valley and Oakmont.

Contact Chase Hunter at chase.hunter@sonomanews.com and follow @Chase_HunterB on Twitter.