Heath Flora | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Official portrait, 2020 | |
| Minority Leader of the California Assembly | |
| Assumed office September 16, 2025 | |
| Preceded by | James Gallagher |
| Member of theCalifornia State Assembly | |
| Assumed office December 5, 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Kristin Olsen |
| Constituency | 12th district (2016–2022) 9th district (2022–present) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Heath Hubert Flora (1983-07-19)July 19, 1983 (age 42) |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Melodie Flora (divorced) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Modesto Junior College (AA) |
| Website | State Assembly website |
Heath Hubert Flora[1] (born July 19, 1983) is an American politician in theCalifornia State Assembly. He represents the northernSan Joaquin Valley, including the cities ofManteca andLodi. As of September 16, 2025, Flora has served as the Minority Leader of the California State Assembly after being elected by the Assembly Republican Caucus on June 9, 2025.[2][3]
On July 19, 1983, Flora was born inStanislaus County, California.[4]
Flora served for over 15 years as a volunteer fire fighter.[5] From 2005 to 2007, Flora was a firefighter with the California Department Forestry and Fire Protection.[6] Flora is a businessman and owner of Golden Valley Equipment.[6]
In 2016, Flora's political career began when he ran for theCalifornia State Assembly to succeed fellow RepublicanKristen Olsen, who ran successfully for theStanislaus CountyBoard of Supervisors. In a surprise, he won the election and became aRepublican member ofCalifornia State Assembly forDistrict 12, encompassing part of theSan Joaquin Valley. Flora defeated Ken Vogel, a formerSan Joaquin CountySupervisor, with 52.2% of the votes in anupset.[6][7][8]
On November 6, 2018, as an incumbent, Flora won the election and continued servingDistrict 12. Flora defeated Robert D. Chase with 60% of the votes.[9][10]
In Flora's first term as a member of the Assembly, Flora authored seven bills that were ultimately signed into law,[11] including bills to develop a firefighter pre-apprenticeship program[12] and to reduce the impact of property taxes on new construction.[13]
In 2020, Flora was reelected with 67% overLathropCity Councilman Paul Akinjo.
In November 2020, amidst theCOVID-19 pandemic, Heath Flora travelled toHawaii to attend a conference with 120 other people.[14]
In July 2025, the Assembly Republican caucus voted unanimously to make Flora the next Republican leader, succeeding term-limitedminority leaderJames Gallagher when he resigns on September 16, 2025.[15]
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Ken Vogel | 23,678 | 25.6 | |
| Republican | Heath Flora | 21,484 | 23.2 | |
| Democratic | Virginia Madueno | 19,764 | 21.4 | |
| Democratic | Harinder Grewal | 17,245 | 18.6 | |
| Republican | Cindy Marks | 10,397 | 11.2 | |
| Total votes | 92,568 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Heath Flora | 81,680 | 52.3 | |
| Republican | Ken Vogel | 74,433 | 47.7 | |
| Total votes | 156,113 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Heath Flora (incumbent) | 56,212 | 63.9 | |
| Democratic | Robert D. Chase | 31,811 | 36.1 | |
| Total votes | 88,023 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Heath Flora (incumbent) | 94,404 | 60.0 | |
| Democratic | Robert D. Chase | 62,811 | 40.0 | |
| Total votes | 157,215 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Heath Flora (incumbent) | 71,098 | 62.9 | |
| Democratic | Paul Akinjo | 41,859 | 37.1 | |
| Total votes | 112,957 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Heath Flora (incumbent) | 131,625 | 60.9 | |
| Democratic | Paul Akinjo | 84,373 | 39.1 | |
| Total votes | 215,998 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Heath Flora (incumbent) | 65,647 | 99.8 | |
| Democratic | Mushtaq A. Tahirkheli (write-in) | 142 | 0.2 | |
| Total votes | 65,789 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Heath Flora (incumbent) | 96,990 | 69.2 | |
| Democratic | Mushtaq A. Tahirkheli | 43,109 | 30.8 | |
| Total votes | 140,099 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicangain fromDemocratic | ||||
| Primary election | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
| Republican | Heath Flora (incumbent) | 65,952 | 73.2 | |
| American Independent | Tami Nobriga | 21,946 | 24.4 | |
| Democratic | Rosella Rowlison (write-in) | 2,139 | 2.4 | |
| Democratic | Belinda Smith (write-in) | 87 | 0.1 | |
| Total votes | 90,124 | 100.0 | ||
| General election | ||||
| Republican | Heath Flora (incumbent) | 129,268 | 70.1 | |
| American Independent | Tami Nobriga | 55,169 | 29.9 | |
| Total votes | 184,437 | 100.0 | ||
| Republicanhold | ||||
Flora has two children. In 2015, Flora and his family moved from Modesto toRipon, California, where he no longer lives.[6][7][26] Flora’s wife, Melodie, filed for divorce in April 2022 in San Joaquin County Superior Court.[27]
In July 2022, a woman named Emily Hughes claimed that Flora had multiple extra-marital affairs, one of which was with her.[28] Hughes' affair with Flora took place while Hughes worked as a lobbyist for theCalifornia Medical Association and Flora was serving on the Assembly Health Committee which deals with issues of interest to the California Medical Association. In August 2022, Flora promised to issue a formal statement about the affair, but has yet to issue a statement as of a week after the promise.[27]
| California Assembly | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Minority Leader of theCalifornia Assembly 2025–present | Incumbent |
