Another candidate has dropped out of the race to finish out Rep. Devin Nunes’s term in Congress after the Fresno-area Republican resigned last month.
Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig, a Republican, announced Monday that he would opt out of the special election to campaign for a newly drawn 5th Congressional District this November, according to the Visalia Times-Delta.
“It has become clear that the pathway for an all-but-certain June special election for the old 22nd Congressional District means that the winner of the race will serve in Congress for no more than 40 working days,” Magsig said in a statement reported by the Fresno Bee. “After prayerful reflection and consultation with my family and supporters, our region deserves longer-term leadership in Congress. For that reason, I am forgoing the 22nd District special election.”
NUNES REVEALS TRUTH SOCIAL’S ‘FAMILY-FRIENDLY’ MODERATION POLICIES
This follows Phil Arballo, a Democrat who lost to Nunes in 2020, similarly saying he would drop out of the contest to focus on campaigning for the new 13th Congressional District, where Republican Rep. Tom McClintock is running for reelection.
Nunes, who was first elected in 2002 and worked his way up to become the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, left Congress to become head of former President Donald Trump’s media venture. Among the candidates still in the race to serve out the remainder of his term, which ends in January 2023, are technology executive Elizabeth Heng and former California Assembly Minority Leader Connie Conway on the Republican side and activist Lourin Hubbard and Marine veteran Eric Garcia on the Democratic side.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The special election is scheduled to have its first round April 5, and if no candidate receives more than 50% support, a runoff will be held June 7, when the primary elections for the 2022 contest will be held in the state.
