Greetings all. I’m excited to share a new interview with Randy Villegas, who as you will see in our discussion is a formidable candidate in a strong position to flip CA-22 blue.
Here’s Randy on his story and why he’s running:
I am a son of the Central Valley. You know, I'm the son of immigrants from Mexico. My dad from Michoacán, my mom from Guerrero. Actually, that's my mom right here in the blue dress [pointing to a photo]. And, you know, I grew up here in Bakersfield, California in a working class family. I grew up working. I was the first in my family to graduate from college and university at Bakersfield College, CSUB, and by the grace of God, I got a full-ride scholarship to get my PhD at UC Santa Cruz. I came back to the Central Valley to give back to the communities that gave my family and I so many opportunities. I became a professor at the age of 25 at a local community college, College of the Sequoias. I found myself serving on the school board shortly thereafter. I was elected in ‘22, re-elected and proud of the work that we've done to increase graduation rates and also increase salaries and wages for our teachers, our bus drivers, our custodians, you know, some of the first faces students see every single day.
And today I'm running for Congress because all the programs that I grew that allowed me to get to where I am –– programs like Medi-Cal and SNAP and WIC are all being gutted by my opponent, this administration, to go give $1.1 trillion in tax cuts to the wealthiest people in this country. And that is money that needs to be coming back here instead and puts work on behalf of our communities.
This district CA-22, represented by the MAGA incumbent David Valadao, was a targeted redraw under Prop 50 in the Central Valley. Valadao’s district traded some southern Kern County turf for more Democratic-leaning ground toward Fresno/Madera. The shift nudged the district left, but it’s still the reddest of the five new Prop 50 seats. Though Valadao has been tough to beat this is now a very winnable seat, and Randy is a very good candidate. Remarkably, when Randy wins he will be the first Latino to ever represent the Central Valley in Congress.
Here’s the new CA-22:
You can support Randy Villegas today by making a contribution to our core Winning The House - Stake In The Ground Fund or by giving to his campaign directly here. To learn more, head to Randy’s website where you can also sign up to volunteer.
Friends, enjoy today’s update from Randy Villegas, and let’s do what we can to help bring this inspiring leader to Washington next year. Please share this interview with others, hit like so more will see it, throw a contribution Randy’s way, and keep working hard everyone. We have a country to save, and elections like this one in CA-22 to win this November, together! - Simon
Raised in Kern County, Randy grew up seeing both the promise and the challenges of the Central Valley. His parents instilled in him the values of hard work, perseverance, and giving back to the community.
Randy became the first in his family to earn a Ph.D., and he’s used his education to empower others—as a college professor, mentor, and community organizer. Whether in the classroom or out knocking doors, Randy has always believed in the power of people to make change.
Now, he’s running for California’s 2nd District.
Randy’s running to fight for working families, protect our democracy, and bring accountable, people-first leadership to Washington. He’s challenging Republican David Valadao, who has consistently sided with corporate interests over the needs of our communities.
Randy’s campaign is rooted in the belief that everyone - no matter their ZIP code, SSN, or background - deserves a fair shot. With your support, we can build a better future for the Central Valley and beyond.
Learn more about Randy here.
