A Democrat, he represented the 13th Assembly District, which encompasses western San Joaquin County, including the city of Stockton.

He placed third in the first round election with 24.10% of the vote, behind eventual winner Michael Tubbs and incumbent Anthony Silva respectively.

Villapudua ran for Assembly again and won, defeating County Supervisor Kathy Miller with 53% of the vote.

[4] In The Georgetown Law Journal, Shirin Bakhshay writes "While Villapudua's bill is commendable, his comments [on rehabilitating prisoners] reflect the type of thinking about criminal actors that continues to impede wide-spread reform efforts..."[5] Villapudua's wife, Edith, was a candidate for California State Senate in the 5th district, the seat Eggman is vacating due to term-limits.

[6] The move was characterized as a ploy to better each of their electoral prospects; however it drove former U.S. Representative Jerry McNerney to join the Senate race and Edith's original opponent, Rhodesia Ransom, to also switch into the Assembly election.