David Valadao on Monday advanced to the general election in California’s 22nd District against Democrat Rudy Salas, according to the Associated Press.
Weeks after the election took place, tallied votes show Valadao won with 25 percent of the vote, while Republican challenger Chris Mathys won 23 percent. Both parties compete in the same primary election and the top two winners advance to the general election.
Valadao, one of ten House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump, survived the Republican primary after Donald Trump did not endorse anyone in the race.
A source close to Donald Trump told Fox News that Trump stayed out of the race because Valadao never doubled down on his impeachment vote.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, holds the gavel after announcing the passage of the second article of impeachment, obstruction of Congress, against President Donald Trump by the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
“I do think Valadao’s a little bit different than the others. He hasn’t doubled or tripled down [on impeachment]. All the other ones are going out and making hay, elongating the story. Valadao’s stayed rather quiet and subdued,” the source said. “There hasn’t been a credible challenger making noise either. So it was easy to move on from that race and not really give it much attention.”
Valadao overcame three primary challengers: Chris Mathys, a former Fresno city councilman, King County school board member Adam Medeiros, and Democrat Assemblyman Rudy Salas, who represented parts of the district in the Sacramento legislature.
California’s 22nd District is one of the most competitive in the nation. It is located in the central valley and is 73 percent Hispanic. The district was carried by President Joe Biden by double digits two years ago.
Valadao’s race attracted national attention. The Congressional Leadership Fund, supported by Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), supported Valadao by opposing Republican candidate Mathys with nearly $800,000. The money was partially spent on an ad criticizing Mathys as being “dangerously liberal.”
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter and Gettr @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.