California Governor Gavin Newsom sets spring special election to replace Kevin McCarthy

Gov. Gavin Newsom Monday called for a special election to finish seven-to-10 months of retired Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s term.

The primary will be March 19, two weeks after the March 5 primary for the full congressional term that would begin next January. If a candidate gets a majority of the votes in that special election, they win outright and will be swiftly sworn into Congress. If not, there will be a runoff with the top two vote-getters on May 21.

The winner will represent California’s 20th Congressional District, the state’s most Republican and most oddly shaped. It runs from north of Clovis through Rosamond and reaches across Kern, Kings, Tulare and Fresno counties. Many competitors on the ballot for the full two-year term have decided to run in the special election too.

Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, is the favorite to assume his former boss’s seat in both elections. Fong, who served as McCarthy’ district director for nearly a decade before joining the Assembly in 2016, earned the former congressman’s coveted endorsement.

“The Central Valley needs proven, tested representation in Congress that can immediately get to work and deliver meaningful solutions to these issues,” Fong said Monday, with issues referring to the border, affordability and water infrastructure. “In addition to the regularly scheduled primary election, I will be running in the special to provide Central Valley voters with that representation as soon as possible.”

McCarthy left office Dec. 31, after being toppled as House Speaker in October.

Fong’s candidacy still faces a legal challenge, though his name is on the certified list of candidates for the Assembly and Congress full-term that went to counties to print ballots in December. Kern County, which includes Bakersfield, is expected to start printing ballots for the March 5 primary this week.

A judge ruled at the end of December that Fong, who had already qualified to run for the Assembly, could be on the ballot for both. California’s secretary of state, who had previously said that Fong’s dual ballot position violated state elections code, is expected to appeal the decision to prevent this from occurring in future elections. Depending on the outcome and timing of the appeal, election officials may need to reprint ballots to remove Fong from the 20th. A spokesman for the secretary of state did not say when the office intended to file the appeal.

“I would say at this point that there is no feasible way, there’s no scenario in which Assemblyman Fong won’t be on the ballot,” said Tal Eslick, a San Joaquin Valley consultant who previously worked for Republican congressmen. “And anyone that’s sort of planning on that being the case is probably not familiar with the speed or lack thereof of the California courts.”

Other Republican candidates who confirmed they are running in both the special and full-term elections are Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux and Fresno casino owner Kyle Kirkland.

Republicans on the ballot at least for the full term are David Giglio, an “America First” business owner who is seeking to get Fong disqualified; Kelly Kulikoff, mayor of California City, and Matt Stoll, a fighter pilot turned business owner. Businessman Stan Ellis, who will appear on the ballot for the full term, has since encouraged voters to choose Fong.

Democrats include teacher Marisa Wood, who ran against McCarthy in 2022, and Andy Morales, a security guard. No party preference candidates are Ben Dewell, a meteorologist who ran as a Democrat here in 2022, and businessman T.J. Esposito.