California progressive Randy Villegas wins redrawn House seat for Democrats

Community college professor unseats incumbent Republican David Valdao in seat redrawn under Prop 50

Democrat Randy Villegas, a community college professor with major progressive endorsements, has won the race for California’s 22nd congressional district. He unseats the six-term, incumbent Republican congressman, David Valadao, in a district that was considered the only true toss-up across the state of California after being redrawn under Proposition 50.

Valadao and Villegas are both Central Valley natives from immigrant families with working class or agricultural ties, roots that reflect many of the constituents in California’s 22nd district, which stretches from Bakersfield to just west of Fresno.