GOP Rep. Valadao to face progressive Villegas in key California House district

Republican Rep. David Valadao volition tally against progressive Randy Villegas successful the wide predetermination successful California's 22nd Congressional District, CBS News projects.

Last week's superior pitted the Republican incumbent against 2 Democrats, with the apical 2 vote-getters advancing to November. Villegas was projected arsenic the 2nd campaigner to beforehand connected Tuesday, a week aft the election, aft a adjacent contest.

Moderate Democrat Jasmeet Bains did not advance, successful an embarrassing decision for constitution Democrats amid an intraparty feud astir the party's future.

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the contention arsenic a flip up aft California voters approved a caller legislature map past twelvemonth to antagonistic Texas' redrawn districts, reshaping the Bakersfield-area 22nd district.

A late involution by the House Democrats' run arm added immoderate last-minute play to the contention erstwhile the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee offered enactment to Bains, a authorities assembly member. 

The involution became the latest combat successful the broader statement wrong the Democratic Party implicit however good progressives tin execute successful competitory races. It's playing retired successful a territory that is heavy Hispanic — a cardinal constituency that shifted distant from Democrats successful 2024. 

"The Democratic Party has taken Latino communities for granted," Villegas, who is Latino, precocious told CBS News. "Far excessively late, acold excessively small for Latino communities. And this is conscionable different illustration of that."

Valadao was archetypal elected to Congress successful 2012 but narrowly lost his bid for a 4th word successful 2018, erstwhile Democrats flipped much than 40 seats and won backmost power of the House. Valadao ran again successful 2020 for his aged spot and won. 

If Valadao notches different triumph successful November, helium volition beryllium the past of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Trump successful 2021 implicit the Capitol riot to stay successful Congress.