BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Ahead of the November 5 election, candidates David Valadao and Rudy Salas discussed the important topics relating to the 22nd Congressional District.
- To better understand the dynamics of this race, I sat down with both candidates: incumbent Republican Representative David Valadao and former Assemblyman Rudy Salas. This is the first part of those interviews.
- The 22nd District encompasses Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties.
- This election could impact the balance of power in the House of Representatives, which currently consists of 220 Republicans and 212 Democrats, with four vacancies remaining to be filled.
As the nation gears up for the upcoming election, the race for California’s 22nd Congressional District is drawing significant attention.
The 22nd District encompasses Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties. This election could impact the balance of power in the House of Representatives, which currently consists of 220 Republicans and 212 Democrats, with four vacancies remaining to be filled.
To better understand the dynamics of this race, I sat down with both candidates: incumbent Republican Representative David Valadao and former Assemblyman Rudy Salas. This is the first part of those interviews.
David Valadao:
This isn't the first time Valadao and Salas have faced off. The candidates went head-to-head back in 2022, where Salas lost to Valadao by a narrow margin of just three percentage points.
Representative Valadao, a Hanford native, is keen on retaining his seat by addressing the specific needs of Central Valley residents. He emphasized the importance of energy and water policies, critical issues in a region heavily reliant on agriculture.
"Sadly, Governor Newsom is not the most helpful on a lot of fronts. I would say energy is probably one of the big ones. Water is another big one," Valadao stated. "Some of the policies where he's been very detrimental on us is, water, where, he literally came out and sued the 2019 biological opinions to try to reverse those. And then obviously, President Biden put his administration's full power behind reversing those. And those were policies that were literally going to move more water into the valley and help our communities."
He tells me that enhancing industries such as agriculture, oil, and energy is essential for reducing the region’s unemployment rate.
“Obviously, oil production here in Kern County is a huge part of the economy, and it brings in a lot of tax revenue to pay for roads and public safety and education, but the opportunity to put in solar or carbon capture or all the other technologies they're looking at are things that I've always been supportive of," he said.
Highlighting his legislative efforts, Valadao pointed to his investments in the valley through the appropriations committee, which has funded various community projects, including infrastructure improvements and support for local food banks.
"That's legislative dollars that have actually made an impact. You see, like CAPK with their food bank, you see roads being built up into our county, the farm-to-market roads, you see the well project right now in Delano, you see some projects like wastewater treatment facilities, in McFarland," he said. "So we're continue to work on those right now. I'm working on some more roads here in Bakersfield that we're trying to get funded."
On immigration, Valadao advocates for strong border security while acknowledging the economic contributions of immigrants. He stressed the need for a more efficient immigration process, particularly for individuals who can positively impact the economy.
Regarding healthcare, Valadao aims to increase programs to attract more doctors to rural areas, addressing ongoing shortages.
Valadao also addressed broader national issues, including the federal deficit and international relations, stating that managing the deficit remains a significant challenge. He voiced his concerns about the administration’s approach to international conflicts, particularly regarding Israel.
When asked about abortion legislation, Valadao suggested that little substantial change is likely, even with a Republican-controlled Congress.
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