Incumbent Republican Congressman David Valadao will face Democrat Randy Villegas in the Nov. 3 general election in California’s 22nd Congressional District, one of the most closely watched battleground races.
Valadao topped the primary with 40.7 percent. Progressive Randy Villegas, a college professor and business owner, received 32.2 percent of the vote, beating moderate state Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains, a family physician, who garnered 27.2 percent. The Associated Press called Villegas’s advance on June 9, a week after the primary.
Valadao has held the Central Valley seat for six of seven elections, but the district, which is predominantly Hispanic with an agricultural-based economy, was recently redrawn under Proposition 50 to favor Democrats. He formerly represented California’s 21st Congressional District from 2013 to 2019 and 2021 to 2023….