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Last week, The Fresno Bee Editorial Board released both an endorsement of Democrat Rudy Salas to represent California’s 22nd District, and a joint endorsement with The Modesto Bee for Adam Gray in California’s 13th District.
Between David Valadao and John Duarte, CA-22 and CA-13 have witnessed the disastrous effects of Republican leadership firsthand. Both Valadao and Duarte enjoy posturing as moderates, but when push comes to shove, they rubber-stamp dangerous anti-abortion legislation, and align themselves with the out-of-touch policies of their far-right leadership — completely betraying the values of their constituents.
Salas and Gray have the know-how and drive to deliver for their districts and make it across the finish line come November. As The Editorial Boards wrote, “Gray is a thoughtful politician well suited for a district that votes neither red or blue, but purple,” unlike Duarte, and “Salas is much more in tune with the needs of the district” than Valadao.
The Modesto Bee: Fresno, Modesto voters face a replay election. Bee Editorial Boards offer their choice
The Fresno Bee and Modesto Bee Editorial Boards | February 8, 2024
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Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson came out against a hard-fought Senate proposal for border security, despite House GOP members’ year-long ranting over the “invasion” of immigrants into America.
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Meanwhile, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the Republican who heads the House Judiciary Committee, has for the last year pushed unproven allegations to impeach President Biden.
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Yet both earned the backing of Rep. John Duarte, the first-term congressman from Modesto who represents California’s 13th District. The farm-belt seat ranges from Modesto on the north through Merced and Madera to Kerman and Coalinga in Fresno County on the south.
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The votes show how Duarte remains a loyal GOP lieutenant even though he has one California’s toughest congressional races and strives to portray himself as a moderate. Democrats have the voter registration edge in the district over Republicans, 42.3% to 28.5%.
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Duarte has to do that because his opponent, Democrat Adam Gray, lost by only 564 votes when they faced off in 2022. It was the nation’s second-closest congressional race, and the outcome took weeks to determine. It promises to be close again.
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In another GOP-aligned vote, Duarte backed the Parents Bill of Rights, a measure that would require teachers to notify parents when their child seeks to change gender identification. Schools that get federal funds would have to also get parental consent before allowing a child to change gender identity. Critics say such outing puts children at risk from parents angry over their gender choice.
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Picking Republican leaders strongly aligned with Donald Trump, and backing House GOP culture-war bills, is not being a moderate leader for California’s 13th District.
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Sixty-six percent of district’s residents are Latino; many of them are ag workers. The district is one of the poorest in the nation. Democrats are more willing to use the power of government to meet the needs of lower-income areas, and the residents of the 13th District will be better represented by Gray. The Editorial Boards of the Fresno and Modesto Bees endorse Gray in the March primary.
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He believes there is enough evidence of financial misdealing by Biden to justify an impeachment inquiry. Such “evidence” is mostly seen through his partisan perspective.
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And, in keeping with the GOP playbook, Duarte would tie any aid to Israel for its war in Gaza to “real border security.”
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When it comes to GOP leadership of the House of Representatives, “there is a level of chaos there injuring coherent policy making,” said Stephen Routh, associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Stanislaus State University.
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“He (Duarte) is embedded in that,” said Routh, a political scientist.
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A Merced resident, Gray served in the Assembly for 10 years and was recognized as a moderate Democrat who would buck his party’s leadership when needed to put his constituents’ interests first. Gray has been out of office since 2022.
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In a debate two years ago, then-candidate Duarte asked Gray what he had accomplished. The Democrat had a ready answer: Securing millions for the Volt Institute to give young people job training so they could earn a decent wage; helping a homeless shelter in Merced County; landing $100 million to build Campus Parkway linking UC Merced to Highway 99; and defending school funding.
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Gray was also instrumental in establishing a medical school at UC Merced, providing funding for law enforcement and defending Valley water rights.
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Gray told the Editorial Board that the southern border can be secured while young people brought into America by immigrant parents are given a pathway to citizenship. “Targeted amnesty makes sense. (Republican President Ronald) Reagan understood this,” he said.
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What America needs most, Gray said, is a return to bipartisanship. “Watching the dysfunction in D.C. and the lack of civility in the dialogue, it made me think that folks like me with successful careers of working with both sides, it was time to step up.”
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As much as Duarte will try to present himself as a moderate, his voting record shows support for hard-right views and leaders. The danger of authoritarianism by the Republican party only grows if Donald Trump wins to the presidency.
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Duarte also has the distinction of being part of the majority party in the House that has accomplished little. Some critics call it the “new do-nothing Congress.”
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Gray is a thoughtful politician well suited for a district that votes neither red or blue, but purple. The Editorial Boards of the Fresno and Modesto Bees recommend Gray for congressional District 13.
The Fresno Bee: Here is The Bee Editorial Board’s pick for who should represent District 22 in Congress
The Fresno Bee Editorial Board | February 9, 2024
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While he has taken exception at times to what his party wants, Valadao generally votes along GOP lines. The current Congress reflects his tendencies.
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The GOP leadership is trying to find impeachable offenses committed by President Biden in relation to his son Hunter’s business dealings; Valdado voted to launch an investigation into impeaching the president. He also voted with most Republicans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
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Overall, Valadao remains true to the GOP platform, which is not going to be the most help to residents of the 22nd District.
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Salas is much more in tune with the needs of the district, and The Bee Editorial Board recommends him again, as it did two years ago.
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Salas, a Bakersfield-area native, served in the Assembly from 2012 to 2022. He then opted not to run for re-election and instead campaigned for Congress, and is doing so again.
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He pointed out how he remains a strong supporter of a woman’s right to choose an abortion. Salas was one of the sponsors of Proposition 1, the amendment to the state Constitution that enshrines that right and which voters passed.
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Valadao describes himself as pro-life.
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Salas is a proponent of the Affordable Care Act and wants to protect it from cuts. A record number of Americans have enrolled under it, but Republican Donald Trump has said he will work to repeal the act if elected president.
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On other issues, Salas:
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Wants to expand access to generic drugs to control the costs of medication. He voted in favor of California making its own insulin to sell back to residents at lower prices than pharmaceutical companies.
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Supports farm workers getting overtime pay and backs raising the minimum wage.
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Backed a $7.5 billion water bond that will be used to construct new wells and piping to deliver fresh water to communities that have broken-down systems or contaminated supplies.
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Pledges to protect Social Security from cuts or a raising of the age to receive benefits.
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Democrats hope to retake control of the House of Representatives this year, and the 22nd District is one of the races that is targeted. The Sabato Crystal Ball political report, one of the most respected analysts, calls the 22nd a toss-up.
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Salas’ priorities of health care, taking care of seniors and supporting farm workers is well suited for the 22nd District, a heavily agricultural area with significant poverty. Salas’ long tenure in state government equips him with the know-how of politics to do well in Congress.
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The Bee Editorial Board recommends him for the House of Representatives.
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