Villegas Defeats Valadao in California's 22nd District
Democrat Randy Villegas flips the seat from Republican control after the Associated Press called the race with 57% of votes counted.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections
Live Poll
Do you think life in the Central Valley is getting better for families?
Randy Villegas defeated Republican incumbent David Valadao in California's 22nd Congressional District, receiving 66% of the vote to Valadao's 33%. The Associated Press called the race for Villegas with 57% of votes counted.
Why it matters
The result flips the district from Republican to Democratic control, a change that affects California's House delegation and the state's representation in Washington. The outcome also ends a run in which Valadao had been re-elected to the district in 2022 and 2024.
Villegas received 66% of the vote to Valadao's 33%, based on the count at the time of the Associated Press call at 57% reporting. The figures reflect a partial count, and the final certified result is not addressed in the source.
The players
Randy Villegas
Villegas is an educator and school board member who defeated the incumbent in the 22nd District race.
David Valadao
Valadao is a Republican congressman from Hanford who previously represented the 21st District and was one of 10 House Republicans to vote to impeach Donald Trump.
The details
Villegas is an educator and school board member and the son of Mexican immigrants, and he was the first in his family to earn a Ph.D. Valadao, who represented California's 21st Congressional District from 2013 to 2019, was re-elected to the 22nd District in 2022 and 2024 and was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump after January 6, 2021.
Timeline
2013 to 2019: Valadao represents California's 21st Congressional District.
January 6, 2021: Valadao votes to impeach Trump following the Capitol events.
2022: Valadao is re-elected to California's 22nd Congressional District.
November 4, 2026: Villegas is declared winner of the 22nd District race.
Political Context
Valadao was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Donald Trump after January 6, 2021, a vote that shaped his standing in the party before his 2022 and 2024 re-elections. Villegas's win ends that run and places the seat with Democrats, shifting the district's partisan balance.
The result changes which party holds the 22nd Congressional District seat in the House, affecting how California residents in Kings, Kern and Tulare counties are represented in Washington. Voters in the district will be represented by a Democrat for the next term.
The takeaway
Election results can shift quickly as votes are counted, so early calls reflect partial tallies rather than final certified outcomes. Readers tracking the race should watch for certified totals from county election offices.
Further reading
Explore more California Elections coverage for context on this district and the state's races.
Live Poll
Do you think life in the Central Valley is getting better for families?
