California’s 21st Congressional District is a target for Republicans to flip back after losing it to Democrats two years ago by less than 1,000 votes.
The district is located in the state’s northern Central Valley and extends across Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare, and Kern counties. The race pits California Rep. TJ Cox, a Democrat, against Republican David Valadao, the former congressman who previously represented the district until Cox defeated him during the 2018 midterm elections.
Cox, 56, raised nearly as much as Valadao during the 2018 elections. The district was one of seven House seats the Republicans lost in California, allowing Democrats to win their first majority in the chamber in eight years.
Cox was the final new member in 2018 to be declared the winner of a House seat that year, but the Walnut Creek native and professional engineer was criticized during the 2018 campaign for “district shopping” after he left the 10th District race for the 21st District. Cox argued that despite living in Fresno, he worked his community development fund in the district. Cox, however, attacked Valadao for being out of touch with his then-district’s needs.
Valadao, 42, emerged from the 21st Congressional District primary in March with 53.1% of the vote, far surpassing Cox’s 36.1%. As the top two finishers, both are facing off again in November under California’s all-party primary rules. The Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up.
The start of the rematch between the candidates appears to be getting as intense as it was during the 2018 election cycle, with similar accusations from two years ago being thrown around.
Valadao was first elected to the House in 2012 and was on the House Appropriations Committee. Cox is on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee and is chairman of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Natural Resources.
