{"id":355558,"date":"2026-06-11T01:35:19","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T01:35:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/355558\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T01:35:19","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T01:35:19","slug":"democrats-line-up-behind-villegas-following-primary-win-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/355558\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats line up behind Villegas following primary win | News"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Democratic establishment is lining up behind Randy Villegas, the progressive Democrat who just clinched the second spot in the 22nd Congressional District race.<\/p>\n<p>Villegas\u00a0\u2014 a progressive political science professor and member of the Visalia Unified School District Board of Trustees \u2014 had been in a close and often contentious battle for the Democratic nomination in the highly competitive district.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 aa?5 \ud83d\ude00 4FCC6?E=J C6AC6D6?E65 3J &amp;]$] #6A] s2G:5 &#8216;2=252@[ #\\w2?7@C5[ H9@\u00a0\u2014 H:E9 E96 6I46AE:@? @7 @?6 E6C&gt;\u00a0\u2014 92D 366? \ud83d\ude15 r@?8C6DD D:?46 a_`a[ 6G6? 2D &gt;2DD:G6 2&gt;@F?ED @7 &gt;@?6J 2C6 C68F=2C=J DA6?E E@ ECJ 2?5 F?D62E 9:&gt;]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm$A62&lt;:?8 E@ %96 r2=:7@C?:2? (65?6D52J[ &#8216;:==682D D2:5 9:D 42&gt;A2:8? &gt;6DD286 @7 492?86 \ud83d\ude00 C6D@?2E:?8 H:E9 G@E6CD 2D 96 9625D E@ E96 }@G6&gt;36C 86?6C2= 6=64E:@?]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQx E9:?&lt; :EVD 2 E6DE2&gt;6?E E@ E96 H@C&lt; E92E @FC 42&gt;A2:8? 92D AFE :?] x E9:?&lt; E92EVD 6I24E=J H92E H6VC6 D66:?8 \ud83d\ude15 E96 6=64E:@? C6DF=ED C:89E ?@H[ \ud83d\ude00 E92E A6@A=6 H2?E 492?86[Q &#8216;:==682D D2:5]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQ!6@A=6 2C6 6I4:E65 23@FE @FC 42&gt;A2:8? 3642FD6 :EVD 8@:?8 E@ 36 244@F?E23=6 E@ @FC 4@&gt;&gt;F?:E:6D 2?5 ?@E 4@CA@C2E6 :?E6C6DED]Qk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm&#8217;:==682D 92D &gt;256 2 A:==2C @7 9:D 42&gt;A2:8? 2 C67FD2= E@ 2446AE 4@CA@C2E6 5@?2E:@?D 2?5 92D C6A62E65=J 42==65 9:D @AA@?6?ED Q3@F89E 2?5 A2:5 7@CQ 7@C 5@:?8 D@]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQ~FC &gt;6DD286 \ud83d\ude00 E92E E96 r6?EC2= &#8216;2==6J 56D6CG6D D@&gt;63@5J H9@VD 24EF2==J 8@:?8 E@ D9@H FA 2?5 7:89E 7@C @FC 4@&gt;&gt;F?:E:6D 6G6CJ D:?8=6 52J 2?5 D@&gt;63@5J H9@VD 8@:?8 E@ 36 244@F?E23=6 E@ @FC 4@&gt;&gt;F?:E:6D 2?5 ?@E 4@CA@C2E6 :?E6C6DED]Qk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm&#8217;:==682D 925 366? \ud83d\ude15 2 E:89E C246 7@C E96 }@] a D=@E \ud83d\ude15 E96 5:DEC:4E 3FE @? %F6D52J[ H:E9 E9@FD2?5D @7 32==@ED C6&gt;2:?:?8 E@ 36 4@F?E65[ 9:D 42&gt;A2:8? 564=2C65 G:4E@CJ]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm{2E6C E92E ?:89E[ 9:D s6&gt;@4C2E:4 C:G2=[ pDD6&gt;3=JH@&gt;2? sC] y2D&gt;66E q2:?D[ 4@?46565 E96 C246]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmxE H2D 2 DEF??:?8 DF446DD 7@C 2 C6=2E:G6 A@=:E:42= ?@G:46] |F49 @7 E96 s6&gt;@4C2E:4 A2CEJ 6DE23=:D9&gt;6?E H2D BF:4&lt; E@ 324&lt; q2:?D \ud83d\ude15 E96 AC:&gt;2CJ[ H:E9 6?5@CD6&gt;6?ED 4@&gt;:?8 7C@&gt; 76==@H pDD6&gt;3=J &gt;6&gt;36CD @7 &gt;@DE @7 r2=:7@C?:2VD r@?8C6DD:@?2= s6&gt;@4C2ED]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm&#8217;:==682D 62C?65 E96 DFAA@CE @7 D6G6C2= AC@8C6DD:G6D[ :?4=F5:?8 &#8216;6C&gt;@?E $6?] q6C?:6 $2?56CD[ 2?5 =2E6C[ }6H *@C&lt; #6A] p=6I2?5C:2 ~42D:@\\r@CE6K 2?5 H2D 324&lt;65 3J E96 =67E\\=62?:?8 (@C&lt;:?8 u2&gt;:=:6D !2CEJ]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm}6:E96C 42?5:52E6 H2D 23=6 E@ D64FC6 2? 6?5@CD6&gt;6?E 7C@&gt; E96 DE2E6 s6&gt;@4C2E:4 A2CEJ 2E E96:C 4@?G6?E:@? \ud83d\ude15 u63CF2CJ[ 2?5 G@E6CD H6C6 E@=5 E96 A2CEJ H@F=5 C6&gt;2:? 92?5D\\@77 F?E:= E96 AC:&gt;2CJ]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%92EVD H9J &#8216;:==682D 2?5 9:D DFAA@CE6CD 4C:65 7@F= H96? E96 ?2E:@?2= s6&gt;@4C2E:4 r@?8C6DD:@?2= r2&gt;A2:8? r@&gt;&gt;:EE66 2??@F?465 =2DE &gt;@?E9 :E H2D E9C@H:?8 :ED H6:89E 369:?5 q2:?D[ 49@@D:?8 96C 7@C :ED 9JA6C\\4@&gt;A6E:E:G6 Q#65 E@ q=F6Q AC@8C2&gt;]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm~? (65?6D52J[ E96 srrr 2??@F?465 &#8216;:==682D H2D ?@H \ud83d\ude15 E96 D2&gt;6 AC@8C2&gt;]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQ#2?5J &#8216;:==682D \ud83d\ude00 2 D@? @7 E96 &#8216;2==6J 2?5 92D DA6?E 9:D 42C66C 7:89E:?8 7@C H@C&lt;:?8 72&gt;:=:6D =67E 369:?5 3J s2G:5 &#8216;2=252@\u2019D 72:=65 C6AC6D6?E2E:@?[ G@E6D E@ 8FE 962=E942C6[ 2?5 9:DE@CJ @7 D6==:?8 @FE E96 &#8216;2==6J E@ 9:D A2CEJ 3@DD6D 2?5 3:==:@?2:C6D[Q D2:5\u00a0$FK2? s6=q6?6[ 492:C @7 E96 srrr]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQ#2?5J \ud83d\ude00 2 A6@A=6\\7:CDE =6256C 42A23=6 @7 6?6C8:K:?8 G@E6CD 2?5 H:??:?8 E9:D D62E[ 2?5 H6 2C6 2== \ud83d\ude15 E@ 6=64E 9:&gt; 2?5 7=:A E9:D D62E[\u201d D2:5 srrr r92:C $FK2? s6=q6?6]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 srrr H2D?VE E96 @?=J s6&gt;@4C2E:4 8C@FA E@ 2??@F?46 DFAA@CE 7@C &#8216;:==682D]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmq@E9 r2=:7@C?:2VD &amp;]$] D6?2E@CD[ p52&gt; $49:77 2?5 p=6I !25:==2[ :DDF65 DE2E6&gt;6?ED DFAA@CE:?8 &#8216;:==682D 2D 5:5 7@C&gt;6C $A62&lt;6C @7 E96 &amp;]$] w@FD6 @7 #6AC6D6?E2E:G6D }2?4J !6=@D:]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQp4C@DD E96 &#8216;2==6J[ A6@A=6 2C6 4@&gt;:?8 E@86E96C 369:?5 #2?5JVD 42&gt;A2:8? 3642FD6 E96J @H 96 H:== AFE 72&gt;:=:6D 7:CDE 2?5 56=:G6C C62= C6DF=ED[Q !6=@D: D2:5 \ud83d\ude15 2 DE2E6&gt;6?E] Q%9:D C246 AC6D6?ED 2 EC6&gt;6?5@FD @AA@CEF?:EJ[ 2?5 #2?5J \ud83d\ude00 3F:=5:?8 E96 4@2=:E:@? E92E 42? H:? :E]Qk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm%96 r6?EC2= &#8216;2==6J =62?D 4@?D6CG2E:G6[ 2?5 &gt;2?J G2==6J s6&gt;@4C2ED 92G6 6&gt;3C2465 E96 &#8216;2==6J4C2E =236=[ 3FE &#8216;:==682D AFD965 324&lt; @? E96 :562 E92E 2 DF446DD7F= 42?5:52E6 H@F=5 92G6 E@ E24&lt; E@ E96 46?E6C]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQx E9:?&lt; A6@A=6 96C6 2C6 =6DD 4@?46C?65 23@FE A@=:E:42= :56@=@8:6D 2?5 =236=D 2?5 H6VC6 4@?46C?65 23@FE WH96E96CX 6=64E65 @77:4:2=D 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 7:89E 7@C E96&gt; 2?5 E96JVC6 8@:?8 E@ AFE 7@CH2C5 A@=:4:6D E92E &gt;2&lt;6 D6?D6[Q 96 D2:5]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQx E2=&lt; E@ #6AF3=:42?D 2E E96 5@@CD H9@ 28C66 E92E H6 D9@F=5?VE 36 DA6?5:?8 S` 3:==:@? 2 52J \ud83d\ude15 E9:D H2C \ud83d\ude15 xC2? E92E ?@3@5J 2D:?8 C6?E6CD]Qk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm}2E:@?2= #6AF3=:42?D ?@E65 E96 :C@?J @7 &#8216;:==682D ?@H 36:?8 6?C@==65 \ud83d\ude15 E96 srrr AC@8C2&gt;[ H9:49 @?=J 2 &gt;@?E9 28@ 925 36E 282:?DE 9:&gt;]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQp7E6C s6&gt;@4C2ED 6&gt;32CC2DD65 E96&gt;D6=G6D 3J 6=6G2E:?8 2 42?5:52E6 H9@ 4@F=5?\u2019E H:?[ E96J\u2019C6 5@F3=:?8 5@H? @? 2 =@D:?8 DEC2E68J 3J E9C@H:?8 E96:C DFAA@CE 369:?5 D@4:2=:DE #2?5J &#8216;:==682D[Q D2:5 r9C:DE:2? |2CE:?6K[ DA@&lt;6DA6CD@? 7@C E96 }2E:@?2= #6AF3=:42? r@?8C6DD:@?2= r@&gt;&gt;:EE66]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQs6&gt;@4C2ED @H &#8216;:==682D 42?\u2019E 362E r@?8C6DD&gt;2? s2G:5 &#8216;2=252@[ 2D 96 6&gt;3C246D E96 D2&gt;6 72:=65 A@=:4:6D E92E 92G6 &gt;256 r2=:7@C?:2 &gt;@C6 6IA6?D:G6[ =6DD D276 2?5 92C56C 7@C H@C&lt;:?8 72&gt;:=:6D \ud83d\ude15 E96 r6?EC2= &#8216;2==6J]Qk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm&#8217;:==682DV D9@H:?8 \ud83d\ude15 E96 AC:&gt;2CJ &gt;2&lt;6D 9:&gt; 2 DEC@?8 4@?E6?56C \ud83d\ude15 }@G6&gt;36C[ 244@C5:?8 E@ r9C:DE:2? vC@D6[ 2 A@=:E:42= D4:6?46 AC@76DD@C 2E E96 &amp;?:G6CD:EJ @7 $@FE96C? r2=:7@C?:2] &#8216;:==682D H2D 2 s6&gt;@4C2E \ud83d\ude15 2 s6&gt;@4C2E:4 5:DEC:4E \ud83d\ude15 2 s6&gt;@4C2E:4 J62C[ vC@D6 D2:5[ ?@E:?8 E92E &#8216;2=252@ 925 @?=J C646:G65 C@F89=J c_T @7 E96 G@E6]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQ&#8217;2=252@VD 8@E E@ 7:?5 2E =62DE `_T[ :7 ?@E &gt;@C6[ 7@C E96 86?6C2=[ H9:49 \ud83d\ude00 BF:E6 2 3:E[Q vC@D6 D2:5]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQ!C:&gt;2C:6D EC6?5 &gt;@C6 #6AF3=:42? 2?5 &gt;@C6 &gt;@56C2E6 E@ 368:? H:E9 E92? E96 86?6C2=] $@ x E9:?&lt; &#8216;:==682D 42? AF== :E @77[ 6G6? E9@F89 96 \ud83d\ude00 &gt;@C6 AC@8C6DD:G6 E92? EJA:42==J 7@F?5 \ud83d\ude15 E96 r6?EC2= &#8216;2==6J]Qk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm$E:==[ &#8216;:==682D H:== 92G6 2 E@F89 7:89E 29625[ A2CE:4F=2C=J H:E9 E96 &gt;2DD:G6 2&gt;@F?ED @7 &gt;@?6J 6IA64E65 E@ A@FC :?E@ E96 C246]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQxV&gt; 2DDF&gt;:?8 E96C6 H:== 36 2 =@E @7 3FD:?6DD\\7C:6?5=J 2?5 #6AF3=:42? @AA@D:E:@? 282:?DE &#8216;:==682D 2?5 H:== ECJ E@ 96=A &#8216;2=252@ 3FE x 5@?VE @H :7 :EV== E2?&lt; 9:&gt; 2D &gt;F49 2D :EVD ;FDE 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 C62==J 92C5[ 4@&gt;A6E:E:G6 C246 E92E x E9:?&lt; 96VD 8@E 2? 6586 E@ H:? 5F6 E@ E96 !C@A@D:E:@?d_ &gt;2A C65C2H]Qk^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAm&#8217;:==682D D2:5 E96 C6&gt;2:?56C @7 9:D 42&gt;A2:8? H@F=5 7@4FD @? &gt;66E:?8 H:E9 A6@A=6 \ud83d\ude15 E@H? 92==D[ =:DE6?:?8 D6DD:@?D 2?5 4@&gt;&gt;F?:EJ C@F?5E23=6D]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmw6 E92?&lt;65 q2:?D 7@C CF??:?8 2?5 96C D6CG:46 E@ E96 4@&gt;&gt;F?:EJ[ 2?5 D2:5 E92E 96 H@F=5 H@C&lt; E@ H:? @G6C E9@D6 H9@ 925 DFAA@CE65 96C 42&gt;A2:8?]\u00a0k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQ~FC 42&gt;A2:8? \ud83d\ude00 8@:?8 E@ 7:89E 7@C J@F[Q &#8216;:==682D D2:5 E@ F?564:565 G@E6CD]k^Am<\/p>\n<p>kAmQ(6VC6 8@:?8 E@ 7:89E 7@C 6G6CJ A6CD@? 96C6 \ud83d\ude15 E96 r6?EC2= &#8216;2==6J E@ &gt;2&lt;6 DFC6 H6 92G6 277@C523=6 9@FD:?8[ 962=E942C6[ 65F42E:@? 2?5 2 C6AC6D6?E2E:G6 E92EVD 2=H2JD 8@:?8 E@ AFE E96 r6?EC2= &#8216;2==6J 7:CDE]Qk^Am<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Democratic establishment is lining up behind Randy Villegas, the progressive Democrat who just clinched the second spot&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":355559,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[8585,151,153,152,32393,8582,989,13,8584,8581,144926,6139,144927],"class_list":["post-355558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-bakersfield","tag-american-politicians","tag-bakersfield","tag-bakersfield-headlines","tag-bakersfield-news","tag-democratic-congressional-campaign-committee","tag-democratic-party-united-states","tag-elections","tag-politics","tag-politics-of-the-united-states","tag-republican-party-united-states","tag-speaker-of-the-united-states-house-of-representatives","tag-united-states-house-of-representatives","tag-vermont-progressive-party"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=355558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355558\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/355559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=355558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=355558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}