Who's running in California's 22nd congressional district
2 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
The central question is the 2025 reconciliation law. Valadao voted for it and argues he blocked worse provisions and won rural health money; Villegas argues the vote takes health coverage from a district that depends on Medi-Cal more than almost any other. Behind that sits a second argument about who each candidate answers to — Valadao points to agriculture, Villegas refuses corporate PAC money.
2 candidates · ballot order · David Valadao currently holds this seat
High confidenceHigh confidenceBacked by government records or the candidate's own official statements, with agreement across several independent sources.What would raise it: Nothing missing — this is the strongest evidence tier.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
A stable water supply for the Central Valley, which his campaign names as its first issue given the region's dependence on irrigated agriculture.
Support for agriculture, including emergency relief funding directed at specialty crop growers.
The Rural Health Transformation Fund, a $50 billion five-year state grant programme for modernising rural health care.
Working within the Republican majority to shape legislation rather than voting against it, which he says let him block provisions that would have hit his district harder.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative since 2013, apart from 2019 to 2021; re-elected in 2024 with 53.4%.
Dairy farmer from Hanford; served in the California State Assembly before Congress.
Voted in 2025 for the reconciliation law known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which increases the frequency of Medicaid eligibility checks and adds work requirements; the Congressional Budget Office and state analysts project roughly $28.4 billion in reductions to Medi-Cal.
Says he worked to block harsher provisions in the same bill and points to the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Fund it created.
Pushed House Republican leaders to direct more emergency relief funding toward specialty crop growers, for which the California Farm Bureau president praised him.
Advanced from the June 2, 2026 top-two primary.
Arguments in favor
He got more emergency relief money directed to specialty crop growers, the part of agriculture that dominates this district and is usually overlooked.
— The president of the California Farm Bureau
Voting for the reconciliation bill was not easy, but staying at the table let him strip out provisions that would have been worse for the district and secure the rural health fund.
— David Valadao's campaign
Arguments against
He broke his promise and voted to gut Medi-Cal in the district with the highest share of Medicaid enrollees of any Republican-held seat in the country, driving up costs and taking away coverage.
— Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
In backing the reconciliation bill he showed he fears the president's reaction more than his own voters'.
— Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee
What we couldn’t verify
How much of the Rural Health Transformation Fund California and this district will actually receive; the grants are administered by states over five years.
Which specific provisions he says he blocked in the reconciliation bill have not been itemised publicly.
Reversing the Medicaid changes in the 2025 reconciliation law, in a district that depends heavily on Medi-Cal.
Anti-corruption and anti-corporate economic populism; he refuses corporate PAC donations, saying "this seat is not for sale."
Representing what he calls the Valley's values rather than outside donors' priorities.
Working-class economic policy in the mould of the Sanders wing of the party.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
Professor of political science at College of the Sequoias.
Trustee of the Visalia Unified School District board, appointed in 2021.
Won the June 2, 2026 primary's Democratic vote with over 32%, finishing second overall and ahead of Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains.
Endorsed by Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Was the target of $2.2 million in outside spending in the primary's final month, from Democratic Majority for Israel, centrist House Democratic super PACs and the Congressional Leadership Fund.
Refuses corporate political action committee contributions.
Arguments in favor
He won the primary against $2.2 million in outside spending from both parties' establishment groups, which his campaign presents as proof he answers to voters rather than donors.
— Randy Villegas's campaign, and CalMatters' reporting on the primary result
The district's voters want someone who will represent the Valley's values rather than the interests that funded the campaign against him.
— Randy Villegas
Arguments against
He is a socialist who sprinted to the far left to win the primary and shows no sign of moderating, embracing the policies that made California unaffordable.
— National Republican Congressional Committee
He campaigns as a working-class candidate while his full-time job is as a political science professor drawing over $170,000 in taxpayer-funded pay and benefits, and as a school board member he voted to rehire an employee who had faced prior allegations.
— National Republican Congressional Committee
What we couldn’t verify
A campaign website could not be confirmed; the positions above come from reporting and his primary campaign material.
His positions on Central Valley water allocation and agricultural labour, the district's other dominant issues.
His response to the specific school board and salary claims made against him.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
California's June 2, 2026 top-two primary sent Republican incumbent David Valadao and Democrat Randy Villegas to the November ballot; Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains, the choice of much of the Democratic establishment, finished third. The district was redrawn under Proposition 50; as drawn it would have voted for Joe Biden by 17 points in 2020 and for Donald Trump by 2 points in 2024, and forecasters rate the race a toss-up or tilt Republican. It has the highest share of Medicaid recipients of any Republican-held district in the country, which is why the 2025 reconciliation law dominates the contest. Roster confirmed against Ballotpedia and CalMatters.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
A California ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.
Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at California Secretary of State.