Matchups not yet determined in redrawn congressional races

By Andrew Rice
The Center Square

One week after polls closed in California, several matchups in redrawn congressional districts have yet to be determined.

The passage of Proposition 50 in California altered several districts to favor Democrats in election to the U.S. House of Representatives. Despite that, several Republican incumbents have secured the lead in races and are projected to move on to the Nov. 3 general election, while their opponents have yet to be determined. Under California law, the top two vote getters in each race in the June 2 primary, regardless of party affiliation, will advance.

Here is an update on results in the districts affected by Proposition 50, the congressional redistricting measure. Reported by the California Secretary of State’s Office, the results are from 12:19 p.m. Pacific time Tuesday with 100 percent of precincts partially reporting.

District 45

Former Cerritos Mayor Chuong Vo, a Republican, was projected to secure a position against incumbent U.S. Rep. Derek Tran, D-Orange, in California’s newly redrawn 45th congressional district.

Vo secured 15.5% of the vote in California’s open primary, trailing Tran who held on to 53.4% of the vote, according to the California Secretary of State’s website reported on Tuesday. The 45th District encompasses Little Saigon, a large Vietnamese community that has been crucial to Orange County’s political and cultural life. The community is in cities such as Westminster and Garden Grove.

Vo did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comments on his projected advancement to the Nov. 3 general election. He posted a video to social media thanking supporters and calling on help to win the November election.

“I’m the only candidate that can beat the incumbent,” Vo said. “We’re going to battle it out, and I can’t wait.”

Vo has focused his campaign on public safety issues. He pushed for increasing penalties on fentanyl trafficking and supporting federal agents providing law enforcement in the community.

“I’ll always back law enforcement and work to strengthen trust with standards that work for both local and federal authorities: body-worn cameras, de-escalation training, and proven community-policing tactics,” Vo’s website reads.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee slammed Vo on his policies and urged supporters to avoid voting for him.

“Chuong Vo has fully aligned himself with reckless Republicans’ agenda, defending the same extreme policies that are driving up costs, threatening healthcare, and hurting families across Southern California,” the DCCC wrote on social media.

Meanwhile, Chi “Charlie” Nguyen, another Republican, is closely trailing Vo with 11.8% of the vote. If Nguyen passes Vo, he will go up against Tran instead in November.

District 22

The 22nd Congressional District race in California’s Central Valley remains hotly contested. Incumbent U.S. Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, swiftly secured the lead and is projected to head to the general election in November. As of Tuesday afternoon, he had 41.9% of the vote.

Meanwhile, a fierce competition is on between Democrats Randy Villegas and Jasmeet Bains to determine who will face Valadao in November. Villegas, a teacher and business owner, held a lead with 31.4% of the vote while Bains, an Assembly member, had 26.8%. That’s with 72% of total votes counted.

Villegas and Bains did not respond to The Center Square’s requests for comments.

In a post on social media, Villegas said he was confident in his campaign.

“Working families across the Central Valley are ready for a new type of leadership in Congress – one that prioritizes people over corporate interests,” Villegas wrote.

Villegas has repeatedly criticized Bains for corporate and political action committee donations to her campaign. Bains received a $1,000 contribution in March from the Democratic Majority for Israel PAC and a $5,000 contribution from an OB-GYN PAC.

Bains, a physician, has focused her campaign on lowering healthcare costs and touted her record of capping insulin costs in California.

“In Congress, she’ll fight to protect Medicare and Medicaid from devastating cuts, expand access to quality, affordable health care, and ensure seniors, working families and rural Californians can count on the care they deserve,” Bains’ website reads.

Several analysts have said the race between Bains and Villegas could go to a runoff in order to determine who will head to the general election against Valadao.

District 40

Incumbent U.S. Reps. Ken Calvert and Young Kim both hold leads in California’s 40th District. Calvert held the lead with 35.4% of the vote followed by Kim with 21.1% of the vote. Both are Republicans.

Calvert is projected to head to the general election in November. Kim appears likely to be his opponent.

If both Kim and Calvert end up in the general election, it would lock out Democrats out of the general election, despite District 40 being redrawn as part of an effort to pick up five new Democratic seats.

Esther Kim-Varet, a Democrat, held 16.3% of the vote on Tuesday with 77% of votes in. Lisa Ramirez, an immigration attorney, followed with 13.6% of the vote.

Ramirez called for patience as results come in and to wait for remaining counts to continue. She said the district needs representation that will fight back against the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement policies.

“It is a war against our businesses and business communities,” Ramirez told The Center Square. “It’s really an attack on our community.”

California’s 40th Congressional District race could also head to a runoff election if there isn’t certainty over who will face Calvert.

For more updates on races, visit thecentersquare.com/california.