California June 2 Primary Election: Congressional District 13 candidates on the issues
California June 2 Primary Election: Congressional District 13 candidates on the issues
I SAT DOWN WITH THE OTHER CANDIDATES AHEAD OF THE PRIMARY ELECTION DAY ON TUESDAY. HERE’S THE CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR CALIFORNIA’S 13TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT. INCUMBENT DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN ADAM GRAY SEEKING HIS SECOND TERM IN OFFICE. HE CURRENTLY SERVES ON THE HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE AND THE HOUSE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE. DEMOCRAT DANIEL RODRIGUEZ HAS EXPERIENCE AS A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES MANAGER AND WORKING WITH THE CENTRAL VALLEY’S YOUTH. REPUBLICAN VIN CURTI VENTI IS AN ENTREPRENEUR AND PHILANTHROPIST WHO FOCUSES ON HELPING SMALL BUSINESSES AND NONPROFITS. MUCH OF YOUR DISTRICT IS ROOTED IN AGRICULTURE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. WHAT CONCRETE PLANS DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE LIFE BETTER FOR BOTH FARMERS AND FARM WORKERS? THE LAST PROJECT, AT A FEDERAL LEVEL THAT RECENTLY, THE CONSTRUCTION STARTED IS THE CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT. IT WAS IN MAKING FOR 30 YEARS. SO WHAT’S IN MY CONTROL? AS WHEN I GET ELECTED TO A FEDERAL OFFICE WOULD BE THE FEDERAL LAND WHERE IN WHICH WE COULD GET FUNDS APPROVED FOR SURFACE WATER STORAGE, GROUNDWATER RECHARGE AND DREDGING. AND I’M ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT ARE TOTALLY IN MY CONTROL. AND EVEN THE CENTRAL VALLEY PROJECT IS NOT EVEN IN THE DISTRICT. SO THERE’S NO PROPER. PROJECT THAT WAS STARTED TO EASE THE PAIN OF OUR FARMERS. AND THAT’S WHAT I’M GOING TO DO FIGHT FOR OUR FARMERS EVERY SINGLE DAY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TARIFFS AND THE WAR IN IRAQ. THAT’S REALLY IMPACTING OUR FARM WORKERS AND FARM WORKERS ARE, I MEAN, OUR FARMS AND FARM WORKERS. SO IF FARMS ARE STRUGGLING, THEN ALSO FARM WORKERS ARE GOING TO BE STRUGGLING WHEN IT COMES TO FARM WORKERS. I SUPPORT SAFER WORKING CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CENTRAL VALLEY. OVER THE SUMMER, GETS OVER 100 DEGREES EVERY DAY. SO MAKING SURE THAT FARMERS ARE PROVIDING A SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS AS WELL AS GOOD BENEFITS. I ALSO SUPPORT INCREASING THE LIVING WAGES FOR FARM WORKERS. OUR FARMWORKERS DO SO MUCH FOR THIS REGION, THIS STATE, THIS COUNTRY, FOR THEM TO GET THE BARE MINIMUM. AND THAT’S WHY I’M RUNNING, BECAUSE I WANT TO FIGHT FOR THEM. BECAUSE THEY DESERVE MORE THAN THE BARE MINIMUM. WE’VE GOT TO GET RID OF THESE DESTRUCTIVE TARIFFS, RIGHT, THAT ARE HURTING OUR AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY, HURTING OUR LOCAL FARMS AND BUSINESSES. WE’VE GOT TO PASS THE FARM WORKER MODERNIZATION ACT, OF WHICH I AM A CO-SPONSOR, TO ACTUALLY MAKE SURE WE HAVE THE AGRICULTURAL WORKFORCE TO PRODUCE. WE’VE GOT TO MAKE ENERGY MORE AFFORDABLE. THAT’S WHY I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE SPEED ACT TO REDUCE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS, STREAMLINE THE ABILITY TO BRING ENERGY PROJECTS ONLINE. WHEN YOU CAN’T BRING ENERGY PROJECTS ONLINE, OR THEY’RE MORE EXPENSIVE TO COME ONLINE, THE ABILITY TO OWN A HOME OR EVEN ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING. WHAT WOULD YOU DO AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL TO HELP EASE SOME OF THOSE CONCERNS FOR THE CONSTITUENTS OF DISTRICT 13? YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE IT EASIER TO BUILD IN THIS COUNTRY. WE’VE GOT TO REDUCE RED TAPE AND REGULATION, AND WE’RE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW OF WORKING ON BILLS LIKE THE PERMIT REFORM SPEED ACT, THE FIX OUR FOREST ACT. ALL THIS IS ABOUT REDUCING REGULATORY BURDEN, RIGHT? THE SAME THING EXISTS IN THE HOUSING MARKET. WHEN YOU HAVE MORE SUPPLY IN THE MARKET, YOU REDUCE THE COST. AND WE JUST HAVE SEEN TOO MANY STATES IN CALIFORNIA IS ONE OF THEM WHERE WE’RE MILLIONS OF HOMES BEHIND WHERE WE NEED TO BE, AND WE’RE ONLY PRODUCING HOMES IN THE, YOU KNOW, 100,000, 150,000 A YEAR DOORS, YOU KNOW, IN THE STATE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE NEED WORKFORCE, WE NEED REAL IMMIGRATION REFORM. THAT’S SOMETHING WE CAN DO AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. THERE’S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME HERE AND WORK. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IS A VERY BIG CONCERN. WE ARE FAILING OUR KIDS BY NOT MAKING SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO AFFORD A HOME AFTER THEY GRADUATE, LET ALONE GRADUATION. THEY ARE NOT ENOUGH JOBS IN THE VALLEY FOR THEM TO PUT THEMSELVES THROUGH COLLEGE. AND SO ONE OF THE BIG THINGS THAT I WOULD DO IS BRING IN A LOT OF JOBS TO THE VALLEY SO THAT LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THERE’S EMPLOYMENT. MY BIGGEST PLATFORM OR MY PLATFORM FOR THIS RACE IS ECONOMIC UPLIFTMENT FOR THE ENTIRE VALLEY. YES. WHEN IT COMES TO REALLY, THERE’S DIFFERENT WAYS I WANT TO APPROACH THAT BECAUSE IT’S DIFFERENT FACTORS JUST APPROACHING IT, RIGHT? PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT AFFORDABILITY IS A, IS, IS, IS HOUSING JUSTICE AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS ACCESS TO INFRASTRUCTURE, CLEAN WATER, CLEAN AIR, GOOD JOBS, TRANSPORTATION, RIGHT. SO THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT AFFORDABILITY AND ALSO ACCESSIBLE. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO. I OPPOSE ANY POLICY THAT CRIMINALIZES HOMELESSNESS. IF ELECTED, WOULD YOU SUPPORT THE CURRENT ICE OPERATIONS AS THEY STAND RIGHT NOW? 100%. I SUPPORT ABOLISHING ICE. I DO WANT TO GET IT OUT OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY, OUT OF THE STATE, IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY, FREEZE. IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES ARE PART OF OUR THE FOUNDATION OF THE CENTRAL VALLEY. YOU KNOW, WE NEED AN IMMIGRANT SYSTEM, RETAIN DIGNITY, DUE PROCESS, FAMILY UNITY, AND A PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP. I STAND WITH ICE. I STAND WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP, AND I STAND WITH WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO DO. LISTEN, BIDEN SAID. IT’S OKAY. LIKE, COME ON IN THE BORDERS OPEN. WE LET 15 MILLION PEOPLE IN WITHOUT PROPER VETTING PROCESS. SO IF WE START WITH THE ILLEGALS THAT ARE COMMITTING CRIME, OR AT LEAST WE KNOW THAT IF THEY’VE COMMITTED A CRIME, LET’S DEAL WITH THEM FIRST. AND THEN EVENTUALLY WE’LL HAVE THE BANDWIDTH TO DEAL WITH THE REST OF THEM. I HAVE OPPOSED MUCH OF THE CURRENT OPERATIONS WITH ICE. I’VE ALSO VOTED DOZENS OF TIMES IN THIS PAST CONGRESS TO SUPPORT STRONGER BORDER SECURITY. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE A STRONG BORDER, BUT I THINK IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE TREAT PEOPLE WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY WHEN THEY’RE HERE, FOLLOWING THE LAW, TRYING TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ECONOMY. THAT’S WHY I’M ALSO AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR OF THE DIGNITY ACT OF THE FARMWORKER MODERNIZATION ACT. AND I’LL SAY THIS MY REPUBLICAN COLLEAGUES HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME FOCUSED ON THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT AND GETTING THE WRONG PEOPLE OUT OF OUR COUNTRY, AND I’VE JOINED WITH THEM ON MANY OF THOSE PROPOSALS TO STRENGTHEN BORDER SECURITY. BUT IT’S FAR BEYOND TIME FOR THEM TO JOIN WITH
California June 2 Primary Election: Congressional District 13 candidates on the issues
California June 2 Primary Election: Congressional District 13 candidates on the issues
Updated: 9:00 PM PDT Jun 1, 2026
Voters in California’s 13th congressional district will decide this year who will represent them as part of the primary election on June 2.The district covers all of Merced County and portions of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Fresno, and Madera counties. Major cities include Stockton and Modesto.KCRA 3 contacted the leading candidates who qualified to be on the ballot; they’re listed in alphabetical order.Incumbent Democratic Congressman Adam Gray is seeking his second term in office. He currently serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.Republican Vin Kruttiventi is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who focuses on helping small businesses and nonprofits.Republican Kevin Lincoln is the former mayor of Stockton and a military veteran.KCRA 3 made contact with Lincoln but was unable to secure an interview ahead of the election.Democrat Daniel Garibay Rodriguez has experience as a behavioral health services manager and works with the Central Valley’s Youth.On the subject of immigration enforcement raids:Daniel Garibay Rodriguez, Democrat:”100 percent, I support abolishing ICE. I want to get it out of the Central Valley, out of the state. Immigrant communities are part of the foundation of the Central Valley. We need an immigration system and to return dignity, due process, family unity, and a pathway to citizenship.”Vin Kruttiventi, Republican: “I stand with ICE, I stand with President Trump, and I stand with what they’re trying to do. Listen, Biden administration said it’s OK, come on in, the border’s open. We let 15 million people in without proper vetting process. So, if we start with the illegals that are committing crimes, or at least we know that have committed a crime, let’s deal with them first, and then eventually we’ll have the bandwidth to deal with the rest of them.”Adam Gray, Democrat:”I have opposed much of the current operations with ICE. I’ve also voted dozens of times this past Congress to support stronger border security. I think it’s important that we have a strong border, but I think it’s also important that we treat people with respect and dignity when they’re here following the law, trying to contribute to our economy. That’s why I’m also an original co-sponsor of the Dignity Act and of the Farmworker Modernization Act. “On the subject of housing costs and access to affordable housing:Adam Gray, Democrat:”We’ve got to make it easier to build in this country. We’ve got to reduce red tape and regulation. We’re in the process right now of working on bills like the Permit Reform Speed Act to fix our Forest Act. All of this is about reducing regulatory burden, and the same thing exists in the housing market, when you have more supply in the market, you reduce the costs.”Vin Kruttiventi, Republican: “Housing affordability is a very big concern. We are failing our kids by not making sure that they are able to afford a home after they graduate, let alone graduation. There are not enough jobs in the valley for them to put themselves through college. And so, one of the big things that I would do is bring in a lot of jobs to the Valley so that we create an environment where there’s employment. My biggest platform on my platform for this race is economic upliftment for the entire Valley.”Daniel Garibay Rodriguez, Democrat:”Justice is access to infrastructure, clean water, clean air, good jobs. So that’s what makes it affordable and also accessible. First of all, I want to, I oppose any policy that criminalizes homelessness.”You can learn more about the candidates on their campaign websitesAdam GrayVin KruttiventiKevin LincolnDaniel Garibay Rodriguez See our full voter guide for the June 2 primary here.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google
Voters in California’s 13th congressional district will decide this year who will represent them as part of the primary election on June 2.
The district covers all of Merced County and portions of San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Fresno, and Madera counties. Major cities include Stockton and Modesto.
KCRA 3 contacted the leading candidates who qualified to be on the ballot; they’re listed in alphabetical order.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Adam Gray is seeking his second term in office. He currently serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.
Republican Vin Kruttiventi is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who focuses on helping small businesses and nonprofits.
Republican Kevin Lincoln is the former mayor of Stockton and a military veteran.
KCRA 3 made contact with Lincoln but was unable to secure an interview ahead of the election.
Democrat Daniel Garibay Rodriguez has experience as a behavioral health services manager and works with the Central Valley’s Youth.
On the subject of immigration enforcement raids:
Daniel Garibay Rodriguez, Democrat:
“100 percent, I support abolishing ICE. I want to get it out of the Central Valley, out of the state. Immigrant communities are part of the foundation of the Central Valley. We need an immigration system and to return dignity, due process, family unity, and a pathway to citizenship.”
Vin Kruttiventi, Republican:
“I stand with ICE, I stand with President Trump, and I stand with what they’re trying to do. Listen, Biden administration said it’s OK, come on in, the border’s open. We let 15 million people in without proper vetting process. So, if we start with the illegals that are committing crimes, or at least we know that have committed a crime, let’s deal with them first, and then eventually we’ll have the bandwidth to deal with the rest of them.”
Adam Gray, Democrat:
“I have opposed much of the current operations with ICE. I’ve also voted dozens of times this past Congress to support stronger border security. I think it’s important that we have a strong border, but I think it’s also important that we treat people with respect and dignity when they’re here following the law, trying to contribute to our economy. That’s why I’m also an original co-sponsor of the Dignity Act and of the Farmworker Modernization Act. “
On the subject of housing costs and access to affordable housing:
Adam Gray, Democrat:
“We’ve got to make it easier to build in this country. We’ve got to reduce red tape and regulation. We’re in the process right now of working on bills like the Permit Reform Speed Act to fix our Forest Act. All of this is about reducing regulatory burden, and the same thing exists in the housing market, when you have more supply in the market, you reduce the costs.”
Vin Kruttiventi, Republican:
“Housing affordability is a very big concern. We are failing our kids by not making sure that they are able to afford a home after they graduate, let alone graduation. There are not enough jobs in the valley for them to put themselves through college. And so, one of the big things that I would do is bring in a lot of jobs to the Valley so that we create an environment where there’s employment. My biggest platform on my platform for this race is economic upliftment for the entire Valley.”
Daniel Garibay Rodriguez, Democrat:
“Justice is access to infrastructure, clean water, clean air, good jobs. So that’s what makes it affordable and also accessible. First of all, I want to, I oppose any policy that criminalizes homelessness.”
You can learn more about the candidates on their campaign websites
See our full voter guide for the June 2 primary here.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google