Cantwell-Copher, O’Brien Advance to Runoff for Fresno County Superintendent

Incumbent Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Michele Cantwell-Copher and challenger Dr. Eimear O’Brien will face off in a November runoff after neither candidate secured a majority in last Tuesday’s primary election.

As of late Thursday, Cantwell-Copher led the three-candidate field with 58,226 votes, or 42.86%. O’Brien finished second with 40,513 votes, or 29.82%, earning a spot in the runoff. Dr. Johnny Alvarado placed third with 36,650 votes, or 26.98%.

A total of 135,855 votes have been counted in the race so far. That includes 19,566 undervotes and 395 overvotes. Write-in candidates received 466 votes.

Fresno County Clerk James Kus said between 97% and 98% of ballots have been counted, though officials will not know the final certified total until June 26.

Under California election rules, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the vote to win outright in the primary. Because no candidate reached that threshold, the top two finishers advance to the November general election.

The race drew significant attention as Cantwell-Copher sought a second four-year term overseeing Fresno County’s educational programs and services.

Cantwell-Copher and O’Brien Look Ahead

Now, Cantwell-Copher and O’Brien are looking ahead to November, differentiating themselves, touting positive track records, and attempting to reach more voters.

Cantwell-Copher’s campaign focuses on Fresno County academic results, transforming the mental health landscape, and broadening support across diverse communities.

“Fresno County’s children don’t have time for a learning curve,” Cantwell-Copher said in a statement. “They need a superintendent who already knows what works, who has already built systems, and who has a plan to see it through.”

According to Cantwell-Copher, the choice is straightforward: proven results or untested promises. Under her leadership, Fresno County schools recorded a 4% increase in English language arts proficiency and a 0.21 percentage point increase in math performance since the 2022-23 school year. She also pointed to staffing savings and balanced budgets as evidence of fiscal stewardship.

However, O’Brien believes academic gains in county schools have been minimal and that voters want change.

“When you look at the outcome of this primary, 57% of the voters are expressing a need for change,” she told GV Wire. “For whatever reason, we’re not seeing the momentum at our County Office of Education. We do have pockets of success around our county. What I want to do is to scale up that success, so that our entire county is experiencing the accelerated growth.”

O’Brien is focusing on three central issues: reading, educating families on how to get involved, and ensuring programs are delivering a return on investment. She said she is confident she has the energy and experience to push for faster, meaningful change, which she believes begins with inspiring leadership.

Leading up to November, she will expand on these areas and share more about her story growing up in a low-income household in Ireland.

“I’ve always just had a very empathetic nature, because I endured my own share of challenges in life,” O’Brien said. “And so going into this phase, I need to share a little more about who I am.”

How the Race Shaped Up

Cantwell-Copher was elected in 2022 with 68% of the vote, becoming the first woman to serve as Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. She launched her reelection campaign in January.

During the campaign, GV Wire reported discrepancies involving endorsements listed by Cantwell-Copher, with three individuals publicly stating they were neutral in the race.

O’Brien, the former superintendent of Clovis Unified School District, announced her candidacy in December 2024 after a brief retirement. Her campaign was backed by several high-profile endorsements, including former Fresno County superintendents Larry Powell and Jim Yovino, as well as Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.

Alvarado entered the race in August 2025 and officially launched his campaign in October. He highlighted more than 30 years of experience across multiple Fresno County school districts, serving as a teacher, principal, and administrator.

However, Alvarado’s campaign also faced scrutiny after reports from ABC30 detailed past separation agreements and periods of paid administrative leave during his career.

Comparing Candidate Records

Cantwell-Copher campaigned on academic and financial gains made during her first term. She pointed to staffing savings and balanced budgets as evidence of fiscal stewardship — redirecting over $5 million to student programs.

Under her leadership, Fresno County added over 200 mental health clinicians and 12 new wellness centers. And the county secured more than $175 million in Community Schools Funding.

O’Brien highlighted her tenure leading Clovis Unified from 2017 to 2023. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, district test scores increased by roughly 3% in English Language Arts and 2% in math. Although scores declined during the pandemic years, Clovis students continued to perform well above state averages when she retired.

Additionally, during her first year as principal of Clovis East High School, the school experienced an 11-point performance index increase.

The campaign featured several debates over academic performance data, particularly between O’Brien and Alvarado. O’Brien devoted a section of her campaign website to rebutting Alvarado’s claims regarding district achievement trends.

Voters will now decide between Cantwell-Copher and O’Brien in the November runoff, with the winner serving a four-year term as Fresno County Superintendent of Schools.

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