Former Republican Rep. David Valadao of California, who lost his Central Valley seat in the 2018 House Democratic wave, has reason for optimism in his bid to return to Congress.
Valadao on Tuesday emerged from the 21st Congressional District primary, far outpacing Democratic Rep. TJ Cox, to whom he lost in 2018 after six years in the House.
Valadao, 42, earned 53.1% of the vote, while Cox garnered 36.1%. Under California’s all-party primary rules, the pair, as the top-two finishers, will face off again in November.
California’s 21st district covers all of Kings County and regions of Tulare, Fresno, and Kern counties.
Cox defeated Valadao 50.4% to 49.6%, making it the seventh-closest House race in 2018 out of 435 seats.
“I am honored to have earned the vote of so many voters across the Central Valley,” Valadao said in a statement. “We built a coalition of Democrats, Republicans and No Party Preference voters throughout Fresno, Kern Kings and Tulare counties who are ready to have Congress start working for them again.”
Cox disputed that rosy assessment.
“We’re feeling good about the numbers but again we’re a few months out from November now,” Cox, 56, said in a statement. “Remember, just two short years ago, Mr. Valadao beat me in the primary by 26 points.”
The 21st District is one of several House Republicans are eyeing in their bid to win back the majority. They would need to pick up about 19 seats to do so.
