{"id":290208,"date":"2026-04-28T20:12:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T20:12:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/290208\/"},"modified":"2026-04-28T20:12:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T20:12:12","slug":"whos-running-in-californias-20th-district-primary-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/290208\/","title":{"rendered":"Who\u2019s running in California\u2019s 20th District primary in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"California\u2019s<\/p>\n

California\u2019s 20th Congressional District Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, is running for re-election. Fong, a former assemblymember, is photographed during a floor speech on April 11, 2024.<\/p>\n

Hector Amezcua<\/p>\n

Sac Bee file<\/p>\n

One Democrat and two No Party Preference candidates are challenging incumbent Republican Rep. Vince Fong of Bakersfield for California\u2019s 20th Congressional District seat.<\/p>\n

Fong was first elected in a May 2024 special election to serve the remainder of Rep. Kevin McCarthy\u2019s term. McCarthy, a Bakersfield Republican and top ally of President Donald Trump during his first presidential term, retired at the end of 2023 after he was ousted as House speaker<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Fong was re-elected to a two-year congressional term in November 2024. His name appeared on the ballot for the congressional seat as well as for his previous seat representing the 32nd district in the California Assembly. Under state law, it was too late for him to withdraw his assembly candidacy, meaning he appeared on the ballot for both races<\/a>. When California Secretary of State Shirley Weber tried to invalidate his candidacy for Congress, Fong sued. A court sided with Fong and allowed him to stay in the race for Congress<\/a>.<\/p>\n

In addition to Fong, No Party Preference candidates Ben Dewell and Jeremy Fox, as well as Democrat Sandra Von Scotter, will also appear on the June 2 primary ballot.<\/p>\n

Where is California\u2019s 20th Congressional District?<\/p>\n

The solidly-Republican 20th District encompasses parts of Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties, including the cities of Bakersfield, Clovis, Hanford, Lemoore, Tehachapi, Tulare and Visalia.<\/p>\n

Nearly half, or 215,098, of the district\u2019s 456,405 registered voters are registered Republicans, according to California Secretary of State data<\/a>. Meanwhile, 25.68% are Democrats and 18.67% are No Party Preference.<\/p>\n

Who are the candidates?<\/p>\n

Dewell, a self-described \u201clifelong moderate,\u201d is a No Party Preference candidate and a third time candidate for the 20th district seat. He previously ran against McCarthy as a Democrat, securing third place during the 2022 primary election<\/a>. Dewell currently serves as a director of the Stallion Springs Community Service District in Tehachapi, where he has served eight years setting policy for governmental services including police, water, sewer, solid waste, roads and parks. He also served two terms with the hearing board of the Eastern Kern Air Pollution Control District.<\/p>\n

His priorities if elected include transitioning to renewable energy, water, protecting Social Security, and immigration reform, according to his campaign website<\/a>. He called the inability of the two political parties to pass meaningful, effective immigration reform \u201cthe political problem of our time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Ben Ben Dewell is a No Party Preference candidate in California\u2019s 20th Congressional District race. Special to The Bee <\/p>\n

Fong, born in Bakersfield, was a longtime district director for his predecessor McCarthy. Before entering Congress in 2024, Fong served in the California Assembly. First elected in 2016, Fong most recently represented California\u2019s 32nd Assembly District, which includes parts of Tulare and Kern counties.<\/p>\n

In Congress, Fong serves on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as the Science, Space, and Technology Committee. His platform<\/a> centers on supporting energy independence, water infrastructure for Central Valley farmers, securing the country\u2019s borders, Second Amendment rights and aerospace and national defense.<\/p>\n

\"Rep. Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield Nate Payne Nate Payne <\/p>\n

Fox, of Visalia, is also a No Party Preference candidate. According to his campaign website, his political philosophy is rooted in \u201crestoring accountability and returning to constitutional principles<\/a>.\u201d Fox, 48, ran a land surveyor company before his multiple sclerosis made it impossible to walk, he told the League of Women Voters. If elected, his priorities include restoring constitutional order, reducing the influence of money in politics, reducing the national debt and immigration reform.<\/p>\n

\"Jeremy Jeremy Fox of Visalia is one of several candidates challenging Rep. Vince Fong of Bakersfield, the incumbent Republican representing California\u2019s 20th Congressional District. Special to The Bee <\/p>\n

Van Scotter, a disability community advocate, is the sole Democrat in the race. She is running a grassroots campaign on a platform of Medicare For All, disability rights, veteran\u2019s rights, immigration reform and stabilizing safety net services, according to her website<\/a>. She promises to update her district with regular town halls and communication. She also pledged to collaborate with state and local stakeholders to address agricultural and water concerns and has a nonpartisan webpage dedicated to transparency about \u201cone of America\u2019s most controversial infrastructure projects:\u201d the California High-Speed Rail<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Democrat Democrat Sandra Von Scotter is one of several candidates challenging Rep. Vince Fong of Bakersfield, the incumbent Republican representing California\u2019s 20th Congressional District. Special to The Bee Who is funding the race?<\/p>\n

Fong leads all the candidates with $1.45 million raised between Jan. 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, according to Federal Election Commission data<\/a>.<\/p>\n

During this time frame, he has received more than $75,000 from individual contributions via the WinRed Republican Party fundraising platform, $40,000 from the Fong Victory Fund as well as several contributions from petroleum, agricultural and food processing industry political action committees. Fresno developer and contractor Richard Spencer and his wife Karen have contributed a combined $14,000 to Fong\u2019s campaign. California Citrus Mutual and the Republican Party-affiliated Eye of the Tiger PAC have contributed $10,000 each.<\/p>\n

Roper, the candidate who did not qualify for the ballot, had $107,428 in her campaign committee account as of March 31, according to the FEC. A majority of the funds come from a $100,000 loan Roper made to her campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Van Scotter has $8,200 in her war chest as of March 31 and has pledged not to take money from corporate donations or American Israel Public Affairs Committee endorsements<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dewell has raised $2,685 to date.<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Melissa Montalvo<\/a><\/p>\n

The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n

Melissa Montalvo is The Fresno Bee\u2019s accountability reporter. Prior to this role, she covered Latino communities for The Fresno Bee as the part of the Central Valley News Collaborative. She also reported on labor, economy and poverty through newsroom partnerships between The Fresno Bee, Fresnoland and CalMatters as a Report for America Corps member.\n <\/p>\n