BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) Voters in California’s 22nd Congressional District are headed for a November general election matchup between Republican Rep. David Valadao and progressive challenger Randy Villegas, as Democrats look to flip the narrow Republican majority in the U.S. House.
Valadao to face Villegas in November as Democrats seek to flip House majority (KBAK/KBFX)
“In the House it’s 217 Republicans to 212 Democrats with one independent and five seats open,” said Ian Anderson, an adjunct professor at Taft and Bakersfield College.
Moderate Democrat Jasmeet Bains, who had been supported by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, did not advance to the general election.
Valadao’s district was also at the center of last year’s Proposition 50.
“That disbanded temporarily the Citizens Redistricting Commission and replaced it with these partisan maps.
And Valadao’s district was one that was heavily impacted by that,” Anderson said.
Villegas was not endorsed by the DCCC, but he did receive an endorsement from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has endorsed other progressive candidates moving on to general elections, including Graham Platner in Maine.
Valadao to face Villegas in November as Democrats seek to flip House majority (Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images)
Anderson said endorsements can help, but he described Villegas’ campaign as offering voters a change from the status quo.
“People are looking at alternatives to what they are currently seeing and so the candidates and the parties need to be aware of that,” he said.
Valadao, the incumbent, received more than 40% of the vote in the primary.
Anderson said Valadao’s background and the district’s agricultural priorities remain significant factors.
Valadao to face Villegas in November as Democrats seek to flip House majority (KBAK/KBFX) (Photo: KBAK/KBFX)
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“It’s important to remember he is a farmer. Ag is very important in the county, and I think that weighs heavily in the county.” Anderson said.