Joe Patterson

Joe Patterson is a Republican member of the California State Assembly representing the 5th District, a foothill region nestled between Placer and El Dorado counties that includes the communities of Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, Granite Bay, Auburn, El Dorado Hills, Cameron Park, and Placerville. ^[1,3] A small business owner and former Rocklin city councilmember and mayor, ^[2] Patterson won his Assembly seat in 2022 and was re-elected in 2024. ^[1] With an 83% CFC Biblical Values Scorecard rating, Patterson has demonstrated strong and consistent alignment with the California Family Council's core priorities on the sanctity of life, parental rights, religious liberty, and limited government. His community-rooted approach to governance — beginning with city council service and moving to the state level — reflects the principle of subsidiarity that CFC's framework values (Chapter 11): leadership that starts closest to families and communities rather than in distant bureaucracies.

Patterson assumed office on December 5, 2022, after defeating Democrat Rebecca Chenoweth in the general election for the open 5th District seat vacated by retiring Assemblymember Frank Bigelow. ^[1,2] He won re-election in November 2024, defeating Democrat Neva Parker. ^[1] His legislative agenda has emphasized public safety and victim protection, including advocacy for harsher penalties for domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking. ^[1,5] He represents one of the more reliably conservative districts in the state, and his priorities reflect the values of a community that consistently ranks among the best places to live in California. ^[3]

Patterson was born in Napa, California, and graduated from Napa High School before earning a Bachelor of Arts in government from California State University, Sacramento, in 2005. ^[1,2] He was admitted to the Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship, a competitive post-graduate program that placed him in the State Legislature. ^[1,2] After his fellowship, he worked as a legislative staffer before moving into the private sector as executive director of the California Gaming Association. ^[2] In 2019, he launched a small business consulting firm, advising businesses and associations on regulatory and legal matters. ^[3] He was also active in his local community, serving as treasurer of the Rocklin Public Safety Foundation and as a member of the Rocklin Area Chamber of Commerce. ^[1,3]

Patterson's local political career began in November 2016 when he was elected to the Rocklin City Council. ^[2] He was appointed mayor by his fellow council members in December 2018 and won re-election in November 2020. ^[2] He resigned from the council in June 2022 to focus on his Assembly campaign. ^[2] His 83% CFC Biblical Values Scorecard rating reflects a voting record closely aligned with CFC's worldview framework across multiple issue areas. On the sanctity of life, Patterson has consistently voted to protect unborn children and support life-affirming alternatives. On parental rights and education, he has championed the principle that parents — not government institutions — are the primary educators and moral guardians of their children. On government's proper role, his small-business background and fiscal conservatism reflect CFC's conviction that limited, local governance serves families better than expansive bureaucratic programs. His community-rooted approach to governing — coupled with his legislative focus on protecting families from violent crime and exploitation — places him in strong alignment with the California Family Council's priorities of family-centered policy, public safety, and defending the vulnerable.

Patterson lives in the Whitney Ranch area of Rocklin with his wife, Colleen, and their four children: Ethan, Andi, Graham, and Blake. ^[2,5] In his free time, he enjoys trail running and coaching his children's Little League teams. ^[5]