Chad Mayes

The son of a pastor, Mayes grew up in Yucca Valley, graduating from Grace Christian School at 16.{{cite web|title=[Chad Mayes] Biography|url=https://ad42.assemblygop.com/biography|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905113831/https://ad42.assemblygop.com/biography|archive-date=September 5, 2015|access-date=July 29, 2015}} He went on to take courses at Copper Mountain College before graduating from Liberty University.{{cite web|title=Yucca Valley native looks to state assembly|last=Vaughn|first=Courtney|url=http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_af1b2f58-bf8b-11e3-8aa9-0019bb2963f4.html|access-date=July 29, 2015}} While attending Liberty he interned for John Ashcroft in Washington, D.C.

Mayes earned a Bachelor of Science in Government from Liberty University.{{cite web|title=Alumnus serves in California Assembly|url=https://www.liberty.edu/libertyjournal/index.cfm?PID=24995&MID=145777|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910090103/http://www.liberty.edu/libertyjournal/index.cfm?PID=24995&MID=145777|archive-date=September 10, 2015}} Mayes became a businessman at 23, working as a stockbroker at the Edward Jones office he opened.

Mayes served on the Yucca Valley Town Council from 2002–2011, and was twice elected by the council to serve as mayor.

In 2004, Mayes and then-councilman Paul Cook voted against a proposed 42-percent pay increase for town elected officials.{{cite web|last=Kelly|first=Jim|title=Compensation equals consternation for council|url=http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_2e4ce47b-26aa-5378-ac67-d5f1a428a6f5.html|publisher=Hi-Desert Star|access-date=July 29, 2015}} In his final budget as Mayor, Yucca Valley spent $8.7 million, a slight decrease from the previous year, and had over $5 million in reserves.{{Cite web|url=http://www.yucca-valley.org/pdf/financial/AdoptedBudget2010-2011.pdf|title=Town of Yucca Valley: Adopted Budget 2010–2011|accessdate=September 8, 2023}}

In 2011, Mayes resigned as a member of the town council to focus on his responsibilities as chief of staff to San Bernardino County Supervisor Janice Rutherford, saying he found it "difficult to keep up with the basics of serving as a council member," and that "Yucca Valley deserves a council member who will give them 100 percent every day."{{cite web|last=Unger|first=Rebecca|title=Mayes resigns from town council|url=http://www.hidesertstar.com/news/article_fa5a08e6-0ec1-5d71-b920-8983269d6e53.html|publisher=Hi-Desert Star|access-date=July 29, 2015}}

In 2014, Mayes ran for the California State Assembly to succeed term-limited Republican Brian Nestande, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress that year. Mayes defeated former Palm Springs Police Chief Gary Jeandron in the primary and was elected to the State Assembly in November 2014, with 57.3% of the vote.{{cite web|website=cdn.sos.ca.gov

|url=http://elections.cdn.sos.ca.gov/sov/2014-general/pdf/64-state-assemblymember.pdf |title=Member of the State Assembly 2014

|access-date=8 September 2023}} He was appointed Vice Chair of the Assembly Human Services Committee and a member of the Committees on Governmental Organization, Insurance and Rules, as well as the Special Committee on Legislative Ethics.{{cite news|last1=Newkirk

|first1=Barrett|title=Chad Mayes announces Assembly committees|access-date=July 29, 2015|newspaper=The Desert Sun

|url=http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/politics/2014/12/22/chad-mayes-chosen-calif-assembly-committees/20764447/}} Mayes was also appointed to the Select Committee on Renewable Energy Development and Restoration of the Salton Sea,{{Cite web|url=https://www.assembly.ca.gov/renewableenergydevelopment|title=Select Committee on Renewable Energy Development and Restoration of the Salton Sea | Assembly Internet|website=www.assembly.ca.gov}} and was named Chief Republican Whip.{{cite web

|url=http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/?p=members&o=d|title=Assembly Republican Members|access-date=July 29, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906000800/http://republican.assembly.ca.gov/?p=members&o=d|archive-date=September 6, 2015}}

He was appointed to the Little Hoover Commission by former Speaker of the Assembly Toni Atkins in September 2015 and reappointed by Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon in January 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://lhc.ca.gov/content/assemblymember-chad-mayes|title=Assemblymember Chad Mayes|accessdate=September 8, 2023}} Mayes was also appointed by Toni Atkins to serve on the [http://www.ccda.ca.gov/ California Commission on Disability Access], which works to improve accessibility by fostering dialogue between the disabled and business communities.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/chadmayesca/status/566005913555714049|title=Asm. Chad Mayes on Twitter|work=Twitter}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dgs.ca.gov/CCDA|title=California Commission on Disability Access|website=www.dgs.ca.gov|accessdate=September 8, 2023}}

During his first year in office, he introduced [http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB851 AB 851], which provides an orderly process for municipal disincorporation, [http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1286 AB 1286], which would create a body to holistically examine the state's regulatory environment, and [http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1202 AB 1202], which would have reduced the California State Fire Prevention Fee for residents who also pay for fire prevention at the local level.{{cite web|url=https://ad42.assemblygop.com/legislation|title=Legislation 2015–2016}} All three bills received unanimous bi-partisan support in their policy committee hearings.{{cite web|url=http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB851|title=Bill Votes|work=ca.gov}}{{cite web|url=http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1286|title=Bill Votes|work=ca.gov}}{{cite web|url=http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billVotesClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB1202|title=Bill Votes|work=ca.gov}}

Mayes was selected by his colleagues to serve as Assembly Republican Leader on September 1, 2015 succeeding Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen. Mayes became Assembly Republican Leader effective January 4, 2016.{{cite news|url=https://www.pe.com/2015/09/01/politics-inland-man-picked-to-lead-assembly-gop/|title=Inland man picked to lead Assembly GOP|work=The Press-Enterprise|author=Jeff Horseman|date=September 1, 2015}} Mayes was the Member who challenged the notion of poverty in California by stating that "California has the highest poverty rate in the nation." The fact checking website Politifact.com labeled Mayes statement as "True".{{cite news|url=https://www.politifact.com/california/statements/2017/jan/20/chad-mayes/true-california-has-nations-highest-poverty-rate-w/|title=True: California has the nation's highest poverty rate, when factoring in cost-of-living|work=Politifact.com|author=Chris Nichols}} To promote his assertion, Mayes placed professionally produced advertisements that were delivered digitally throughout California.{{cite news|url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article134876494.html/|title=California Republicans see a way out of irrelevance in the era of Trump|author=Taryn Luna|work=The Sacramento Bee|date=February 24, 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://calmatters.org/environment/2017/08/ousted-leaders-advice-fellow-republicans-stop-repelling-californians/|title=Ousted leader's advice to fellow Republicans: Stop 'repelling' Californians|author=Laurel Rosenhall|work=CalMatters|date=August 30, 2017}}

As one of his first actions as Leader, Mayes took the entire Assembly Republican Caucus to visit St. John's Program for Real Change to meet with mothers who have emerged from abuse, poverty and homelessness.{{cite news|url=https://calmatters.org/politics/2016/03/new-gop-leader-wants-to-give-a-hand-up/|title=New GOP leader wants to give 'a hand up'|author=Laurel Rosenhall|work=CalMatters|date=March 9, 2016}} Later, Mayes negotiated with Governor Brown and legislative Democrats to craft a health plan tax package designed to draw down in more than a billion dollars in matching federal money. In exchange for Republican support, Mayes secured language to provide more money to help people with autism and other developmental disabilities and forgiving a budget debt owed by skilled-nursing facilities.{{cite news|url=https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article63206847.html|title=California Legislature approves bills on taxing health plans|author=Jim Miller and Jeremy B. White|work=The Sacramento Bee|date=February 29, 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article63204487.html|title=Bipartisanship produced a good fix for health tax|author=Chad Mayes|work=The Sacramento Bee|date=February 29, 2016}}

In May 2017, the California Family Council criticized Mayes for posting a tweet that endorsed Harvey Milk Day.{{cite news |title=Republicans' gay rights tweet upsets California Family Council |url=http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article153463614.html |access-date=June 6, 2018 |date=May 30, 2017}} In July 2017, Mayes led a handful of Republicans in the State Assembly to vote with the Democratic majority in favor of [https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB398 AB 398], which extended the state's climate change program – colloquially referred to as "cap and trade" – for an additional 13 years. Mayes, along with six other Assembly Republicans and one Republican in the State Senate, voted for the bill alongside almost all of the Democrats in both chambers, and Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill into law.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-california-climate-change-vote-republicans-20170717-story.html|title=California Legislature extends state's cap-and-trade program in rare bipartisan effort to address climate change|work=Los Angeles Times|author=Melanie Mason and Chris Megerian|date=July 17, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2018}} The effort was viewed by conservative activists as a vote in favor of more government regulations and increased taxes, and after multiple county parties officially called on Mayes to step down as Assembly Minority Leader, the state board of the California Republican Party did the same.{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-republicans-assembly-leader-dahle-20170824-story.html|title=He rallied support for California's climate change fight. Now Chad Mayes is out as Assembly Republican leader|work=Los Angeles Times|author=Patrick McGreevy|date=August 24, 2017|access-date=June 2, 2018}} On August 24, the Republican caucus announced the removal of Mayes as the Minority Leader, and he was succeeded by Brian Dahle on September 15.{{cite news|last1=Horseman|first1=Jeff|title=Republicans oust Inland Assemblyman Chad Mayes as GOP leader|url=http://www.pe.com/2017/08/24/chad-mayes-is-out-as-assembly-republican-leader/|newspaper=The Press-Enterprise|access-date=August 24, 2017|date=August 24, 2017}}

Following a series of devastating wildfires caused by electric utility equipment, including the 2018 Camp Fire, Mayes was among the first to call for the creation of a wildfire catastrophe fund. Under California's unusual inverse condemnation liability standard, utility Pacific Gas & Electric was expected to be liable for $30 billion in damages resulting from fires caused by its equipment; this led the utility to file for bankruptcy, calling into question whether the utility would be able to pay claims.{{Cite web|last1=DiNapoli|first1=Jessica|last2=Spector|first2=Mike|last3=DiSavino|first3=Scott|date=January 15, 2019|title=PG&E Restructuring Highlights California's Inverse Condemnation Rule|url=https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2019/01/15/514846.htm|access-date=June 22, 2020|website=Insurance Journal|language=en-US}} Recognizing the need to protect both fire victims and utility ratepayers, Mayes’s plan would create a fund to pay claims to victims following a catastrophic event.{{Cite web|last=Mayes|first=Chad|date=January 8, 2018|title=Assemblyman Mayes to Introduce Wildfire Catastrophe Fund {{!}} Facebook|url=https://www.facebook.com/notes/assemblyman-chad-mayes/assemblyman-mayes-to-introduce-california-wildfire-catastrophe-fund/1162994063804153|access-date=June 22, 2020|website=www.facebook.com}} In 2019, Mayes authored [https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB235&version=20190AB23599INT AB 235], the first legislation introduced to create a wildfire catastrophe fund, and also authored [https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB1054 AB 1054], which created a $21 billion fund to pay claims following a major wildfire.{{Cite web|last=Luna|first=Taryn|date=July 12, 2019|title=How Gov. Gavin Newsom's new California wildfire fund for utilities will work|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-california-utility-wildfire-fund-explainer-20190712-story.html|access-date=June 22, 2020|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}

On December 6, 2019, Mayes left the Republican party and filed for re-election as an independent.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pe.com/inland-assemblyman-chad-mayes-leaves-gop-will-seek-re-election-as-independent|title=Inland Assemblyman Chad Mayes leaves GOP, will seek re-election as independent|date=December 6, 2019|website=Press Enterprise|language=en-US|access-date=December 17, 2019}}

In January 2018, Mayes formed "New Way California," aiming to broaden the appeal of the Republican Party by advocating for "individual freedom, shared responsibility, educational excellence, environmental stewardship, efficient government and an open economy."{{cite news|author=Jeff Horseman|date=January 9, 2018|title=Chad Mayes forms "New Way California" to change the California GOP's message|work=Press Enterprise|url=https://www.pe.com/2018/01/09/chad-mayes-forms-new-way-california-to-change-the-california-gops-message/|access-date=June 2, 2018}} The group has been publicly supported by former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger,{{cite news|author=Alexei Koseff|date=January 9, 2018|title=Schwarzenegger joins New Way campaign for CA GOP|work=Sacramento Bee|url=http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article193781074.html|access-date=June 2, 2018}} and both Mayes and Schwarzenegger – along with Ohio governor John Kasich – headlined the group's inaugural summit in Los Angeles on March 21. The summit featured several other Republicans from the State Assembly, including Rocky Chávez, Devon Mathis, and Jordan Cunningham.{{cite web|author=New Way California|title=New Way Summit Agenda|url=https://twitter.com/NewWayCA/status/976150007979024384/photo/1|work=Twitter}} The summit was criticized by some in the California Republican Party, including former chairman Ron Nehring, who described them as “elites talking down to grassroots voters.”{{cite news|author=Javier Panzar|date=March 22, 2018|title=Schwarzenegger and Kasich back Republicans looking for a 'new way' for California's party|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-kasich-mayes-schwarzenegger-20180322-story.html|access-date=June 2, 2018}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = California's 42nd State Assembly district election, 2014

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Karalee Hargrove

| votes = 22,973

| percentage = 37.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Chad Mayes

| votes = 20,921

| percentage = 34.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Gary Jeandron

| votes = 14,877

| percentage = 27.8

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 60,771

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box open primary general election no change}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Chad Mayes

| votes = 56,517

| percentage = 57.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Karalee Hargrove

| votes = 42,082

| percentage = 42.7

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 98,599

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = California's 42nd State Assembly district election, 2016

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Chad Mayes (incumbent)

| votes = 49,580

| percentage = 50.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Greg Rodriguez

| votes = 40,446

| percentage = 41.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Libertarian Party of California

| candidate = Jeff Hewitt

| votes = 7,601

| percentage = 7.8

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 97,627

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box open primary general election no change}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Chad Mayes (incumbent)

| votes = 97,864

| percentage = 57.4

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = Greg Rodriguez

| votes = 72,581

| percentage = 42.6

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 170,445

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = California Republican Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = California's 42nd State Assembly district election, 2018

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = DeniAntionette Mazingo

| votes = 33586

| percentage = 35.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Chad Mayes (incumbent)

| votes = 30880

| percentage = 32.8

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Gary Jeandron

| votes = 15032

| percentage = 16.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Andrew F. Kotyuk

| votes = 11572

| percentage = 12.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = Green Party of California

| candidate = Carol Bouldin

| votes = 3166

| percentage = 3.4

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 94236

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box open primary general election no change}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Chad Mayes (incumbent)

| votes = 86333

| percentage = 55.3

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = DeniAntionette Mazingo

| votes = 69747

| percentage = 44.7

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 156080

| percentage = 100.0

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change

| winner = California Republican Party

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box open primary begin no change

| title = California State Assembly election, 2020

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = No party preference

| candidate = Chad Mayes (incumbent)

| votes = 42,717

| percentage = 35.0

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Andrew F. Kotyuk

| votes = 40,893

| percentage = 33.5

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Democratic Party

| candidate = DeniAntionette Mazingo

| votes = 38,492

| percentage = 31.5

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes =122,102

| percentage =100.0

}}

{{Election box open primary general election no change}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = No party preference

| candidate = Chad Mayes (incumbent)

| votes =120,359

| percentage =55.6

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change

| party = California Republican Party

| candidate = Andrew F. Kotyuk

| votes =96,172

| percentage =44.4

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes =216,531

| percentage =100.0

}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist|2}}

• [https://www.assembly.ca.gov/assemblymemberchadmayes Governmental Website]
• [http://www.chadmayes.com Campaign Website]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20150905113831/https://ad42.assemblygop.com/biography Official Biography]
• [https://www.facebook.com/ChadMayesCA/ Facebook]
• [https://twitter.com/chadmayes/ Twitter]

{{s-start}}

{{s-par|us-ca-hs}}

{{s-bef|before=Kristin Olsen}}

{{s-ttl|title=Minority Leader of the California State Assembly|years=2016–2017}}

{{s-aft|after=Brian Dahle}}

{{s-end}}

{{California State Assembly}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayes, Chad}}

Category:1977 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American businesspeople

Category:21st-century mayors of places in California

Category:21st-century members of the California State Legislature

Category:American financial businesspeople

Category:American politicians who switched parties

Category:Businesspeople from California

Category:California independents

Category:California city council members

Category:Liberty University alumni

Category:Republican Party members of the California State Assembly

Category:People from Lebanon, Pennsylvania

Category:Politicians from Lebanon County, Pennsylvania

Category:People from Yucca Valley, California