Another unusual political domino from Rep. Vince Fong’s (R–Bakersfield) run for Congress fell on Tuesday, with the Assemblyman-turned-Congressman prevailing over a wayward attempt to hand-off the seat to a fellow Kern County Sacramento.
According to the latest results on Wednesday, Fong has captured nearly 60% of the vote in the Assembly race, appearing on the ballot twice as he also won reelection to Congressional District 20.
The backstory: Fong was elected to Congress to succeed former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in May, defeating Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux in a special election.
- That came after California Secretary of State Shirley Weber removed Fong from the Congressional ballot last year, leading to a lawsuit that Fong won to keep him in the race.
- Bakersfield City Councilman Ken Weir launched a write-in campaign and received nearly 16% of the vote in the March primary, earning him a spot in the November election.
State of play: Fong earned 59.3% of the vote in the 32nd Assembly District despite the fact that he left the Assembly earlier this year for Congress.
- Weir built on his support in March and was picked by 40.7% of voters.
- That means voters in District 32 will have to head to the polls once again for a special election, which will be set sometime after the results are certified.
Who will run: With Fong out of the way for the special election, Weir would have a clearer path to Sacramento if he chooses to run again.
- But other prospects could jump in, with at least one name – Kern County ag and water attorney Alex Dominguez – emerging in the wake of Fong’s double victory on Tuesday.
- Dominguez, a water and agriculture attorney, considered running in the March primary as a write-in candidate, akin to Weir, but ultimately opted against it.
What they’re saying: Dominguez told The Sun on Wednesday that he has not yet made a decision on running in a potential special election, noting that many people have urged him to jump in, joining a new generation of younger GOP members in the Legislature.
- “To our north, it looks like my friends Ali Macedo and David Tangipa will be heading to Sacramento. I think they represent a new generation of young and diverse Republicans, the kind that can effectively represent the Central Valley and support recruitment of other young Republicans throughout the state,” Dominguez said. “I think I could play an effective role carrying out that mission alongside Ali and David.”
- He added, “But at the end of the day, I want to make sure that I am being helpful to my community and my neighbors. If that means running for the Assembly or continuing my legal practice of fighting for water for our Valley, I expect my family will make a decision soon.”
