California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Jan. 8 that a special election for the state’s vacant Congressional seat to be held on May 21—required due to the December 2023 resignation of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) following his unprecedented removal as Speaker of the House last year.
Voters will determine who fills the seat in a two-step process beginning March 19 at a special primary election.
California’s open primary rules list all candidates on the ballot, and the two that receive the most votes are added to the special election ballot in May—with no guarantee that all parties are represented.
Nearly a dozen candidates are currently running to represent the 20th Congressional District located in the state’s Central Valley—a region that traditionally leans right politically—including seven Republicans and two Democrats.
With a nearly four-decades-long law enforcement career, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux is among the Republicans vying for office.
“Suffice it to say, we deserve experienced, conservative leadership in Congress with a record of accomplishment,” Mr. Boudreaux said on his campaign website.
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“In my times as sheriff, I have led the charge to make Tulare County one of the safest in California—even when it meant going toe-to-toe with decriminalization efforts by Gov. Gavin Newsom and Sacramento.”
The process of building a field of candidates is also testing the state’s election eligibility laws.
Assemblyman Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) announced his candidacy late last year but was met with objection from Shirley Weber, California’s secretary of state because Mr. Fong had already announced a run for the state assembly.
However, Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Shelleyanne Chang ruled in December that while it “somewhat defies common sense to find the law permits a candidate to run for two offices during the same election,” Mr. Fong had a right to run for both offices.
Ms. Weber later released a statement suggesting she would appeal the decision.
Having worked for Mr. McCarthy as a district director for nearly a decade, Mr. Fong highlights what he calls his conservative leadership with a proven track record after serving eight years in the assembly.
“I have spent my career fighting for Central Valley families,” he said in a statement announcing his candidacy. “I am eager and ready to take that fight to Washington and deliver meaningful results for our community.”
Another candidate, Republican David Giglio, said in a campaign video the 2024 election is the “most consequential election in American history.”
Mr. Giglio suggested that his “America first” platform would resonate with voters and noted his early entry to the field—predating Mr. McCarthy’s decision to resign.
The former congressman’s controversial rise and fall from his leadership position proved historic.
After winning a contentious vote in 2022 to become Speaker of the House, fellow lawmakers, including eight Republicans, voted 216 to 210 to oust him from his role—the first such occurrence in Congressional history.
Mr. McCarthy subsequently offered his resignation, effective at the end of 2023.
“For me, every moment came with a great deal of devotion and responsibility,” he wrote on Dec. 1 on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Serving you in Congress and as the 55th Speaker of the House has been my greatest honor.”
