Who is leading the toss-up congressional election between David Valadao and Rudy Salas?

Gillian Brassil

Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, kept his lead over Assemblyman Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, in California’s 22nd Congressional District, returns Friday night show.

One of the few remaining toss-up midterms, it’s still too early to tell who will prevail.

Valadao had 52.7% of the votes with more than 86% counted, per the Associated Press after more ballots were processed.

A win for the 45-year-old Republican would bolster the GOP majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. But if Salas, also 45, wins, Republicans might have a harder time passing partisan legislation with less of a margin of dissent.

California’s 22nd Congressional District, redrawn based on the 2020 census, runs from Hanford to Shafter. It has more Democrats than Republicans and would have voted for President Joe Biden in 2020 with a 13% margin.

But Valadao has swung Democratic votes, and faced tough elections, before. The moderate Republican lost to Democrat T.J. Cox in 2018 and regained the seat in 2020 by less than a point in a race too close to call for weeks. Cox now faces federal fraud charges. A Hanford dairyman, Valadao first ran for Congress in 2012.

Republican incumbent David Valadao, R-Hanford during his Election Night watch party on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 south of Hanford. Valadao is being challenged by Assemblymember Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, in the newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District. María G. Ortiz-Briones/mortizbriones@vidaenelvalle.com
Republican incumbent David Valadao, R-Hanford during his Election Night watch party on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022 south of Hanford. Valadao is being challenged by Assemblymember Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, in the newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District. María G. Ortiz-Briones/mortizbriones@vidaenelvalle.com

Valadao was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach former President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection on the U.S. Capitol. If he wins, he will be one of two left in Congress.

Salas started his tenure in elected office as the first Latino member of the Bakersfield city council. The moderate Democrat went on to serve in the Assembly for the last decade. If voters pick him, he would be the San Joaquin Valley’s first Latino House member.

Assemblymember Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, speaks during Election Night watch party at a union hall in Bakersfield on Nov. 8, 2022. He is challenging Republican incumbent David Valadao in the newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District. JUAN ESPARZA LOERA/jesparza@vidaenelvalle.com
Assemblymember Rudy Salas, D-Bakersfield, speaks during Election Night watch party at a union hall in Bakersfield on Nov. 8, 2022. He is challenging Republican incumbent David Valadao in the newly redrawn 22nd Congressional District. JUAN ESPARZA LOERA/jesparza@vidaenelvalle.com

As of Friday evening, the GOP is projected to take the House with at least 218 seats. Democrats are expected to hold at least 212. Five races, including this one, have yet to be called.

Two of the other uncalled races are in California. Assemblyman Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin, has been outpacing Dr. Kermit Jones, a Democrat, in California’s 3rd Congressional District. Farmer John Duarte, a Republican, was ahead of Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, in the 13th.

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