Republican Party Appears to Retain California’s Central Valley Congressional Seat
The initial election results indicate that the majority of voters are backing the incumbent candidate.
Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.), the incumbent, appears to have prevailed over his opponent in a rematch for California’s 22nd District in the San Joaquin Valley.
Valadao currently holds around 54 percent of the votes, while Democrat Rudy Salas has 46 percent, based on unofficial preliminary results reported at 9:45 p.m. PT on Nov. 5.
Preliminary election results of District 22 of California’s U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 5, 2024.Sophie Li/The Epoch Times
The district comprises Kings County and portions of Tulare and Kern counties.
Official results are expected in the following weeks, with the secretary of state having up to 30 days to certify the election results.
Prior to Election Day, recent polls indicated the Democratic challenger leading Valadao by 2 percentage points, with 47 percent to 45 percent, respectively.
During the campaign, Valadao emphasized his connection to the Central Valley, while Salas, a former five-term state assemblyman, highlighted his agricultural roots and education at the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA).
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The winning candidate will serve as the representative for nearly 800,000 residents in California’s most agriculturally productive region.
Their 2022 race was decided by a margin of fewer than 4,000 votes.
Valadao has held the position intermittently since 2012, losing it in 2018 before reclaiming it in the following election. Prior to his congressional service, he spent two years in the state legislature as an assemblyman.
Originally from the area he represents, Valadao has a background in agriculture and dairy operations.
He secured his primary victory with nearly 1,000 votes out of about 63,000 cast.
Salas, a lifelong Central Valley resident, has worked in agriculture and construction with his father and served multiple terms in the state Assembly.
Salas received endorsements from Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), and the United Farm Workers, among others.
In the district, Democrats outnumber Republicans, with 41 percent to 28 percent, while 23 percent of voters have no party preference.
The median age of residents is approximately 30, with males slightly outnumbering females. Additionally, around 17,000 district residents are military veterans.
Beige Luciano-Adams contributed to this report.
