5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Randy Villegas attends the California Democratic Party Convention on May 30, 2025 in Anaheim, California.
(Photo by Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Connor Treacy)
Declaring Victory in California, Progressive Randy Villegas Aims to Oust GOP Rep. Valadao
"Despite the onslaught of outside corporate money spent against us, we have shown that working people are ready for change," said the congressional hopeful.
Jun 09, 2026
Progressive Randy Villegas on Tuesday declared victory in a primary race for California's new 22nd Congressional District, a key part of Democratic efforts to combat President Donald Trump's attempt to maintain GOP control of Congress by rigging maps.
California's recent voter-approved redistricting made several swing districts held by Democrats less competitive and targeted five Republican-held seats, including the 22nd District, represented by GOP Congressman David Valadao.
Under California's "jungle" primary system, the two candidates from all parties with the most support advance. As of Tuesday, with 72% of votes in, Valadao had 24,376 votes (41.9%), Villegas had 18,149 (31.2%), and Jasmeet Bains—a more moderate physician and state Assembly member backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)—had 15,695 (27%).
Villegas, a Central Valley native who owns an auto repair shop and teaches at a community college, said in a Tuesday statement that "voters in the Central Valley have spoken and they have declared that the Valley is not for sale."
"Despite the onslaught of outside corporate money spent against us, we have shown that working people are ready for change," he continued. "We are ready for the government to work for us, not just the wealthy and well-connected. We want our hard-earned tax dollars delivering affordable healthcare, not senseless wars abroad."
"David Valadao has sold us out for too long, voting to cut healthcare for families in the Valley, and siding with corporate interests over working people," he added. "I'm going to be focused on winning over every voter in our district and showing that I will be the true fighter for our community in DC."
Throughout the primary campaign, Villegas won support from key leaders in California, from labor icon Dolores Huerta to Democratic US Reps. Nanette Barragán, Robert Garcia, Ro Khanna, Linda Sánchez, and Lateefah Simon. Other congressional backers included Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Greg Casar (D-Texas), and Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
In addition to congratulating Villegas, Frost on Tuesday highlighted how political action committees tried to tank the progressive Democrat, saying on social media that "he defeated special interests and dark money PACs who spent millions to take down a champion running to fight for working people, pass Medicare for All, and protect immigrants."
Looking to November, when Democrats hope to reclaim control of Congress, Frost predicted that "Randy will defeat David Valadao."
While the DCCC backed Bains—and, according to Axios, some Democratic lawmakers are now threatening to withhold dues absent "a course-correction" after the party's House campaign arm spent $135,000 on her unsuccessful run—Villegas won over the CPC and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).
"Randy Villegas' victory is a powerful reminder that perseverance, community, and hard work can overcome even the toughest obstacles," Sánchez, chair of the CHC BOLD PAC, said Tuesday. "Randy built a grassroots movement rooted in the values that define the Central Valley. His victory reflects the aspirations of working families who want a leader who understands their struggles and will fight for their future."
Other organizations backing Villegas include End Citizens United, Indivisible, Leaders We Deserve, MoveOn, the National Education Association, National Nurses United, Our Revolution, the Working Families Party (WFP), and more.
"Once again, voters are showing they want progressive fighters —not status-quo conservative Democrats—representing them in Washington. Unlike his opponents, Randy Villegas refused to be bought by the very corporations and special interests making life hell for Valley residents," said David Hogg, co-founder and president of Leaders We Deserve.
"Leaders We Deserve couldn't be prouder of our support," he continued, "and we look forward to helping Randy do what establishment, corporate Democrats have repeatedly failed to do: defeat Republican David Valadao."
Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, also took aim at the status quo in a Tuesday statement.
"The DC establishment spent millions to defeat Randy, because he’s not in the pocket of their corporate donors. Now, he's headed to a general election against Trump yes-man David Valadao, who voted to slash Medicaid and WIC benefits," he said, referring to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
"We know that Valadao and his corporate backers will spend outrageous amounts of money to stop Randy," Mitchell added, "but you can only screw over working people so many times before it comes back to bite you."
An Urgent Message From Our Co-Founder
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It's never been this bad out there. And it's never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed, the threats we face are intensifying. We need your support now more than ever. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Will you donate now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Progressive Randy Villegas on Tuesday declared victory in a primary race for California's new 22nd Congressional District, a key part of Democratic efforts to combat President Donald Trump's attempt to maintain GOP control of Congress by rigging maps.
California's recent voter-approved redistricting made several swing districts held by Democrats less competitive and targeted five Republican-held seats, including the 22nd District, represented by GOP Congressman David Valadao.
Under California's "jungle" primary system, the two candidates from all parties with the most support advance. As of Tuesday, with 72% of votes in, Valadao had 24,376 votes (41.9%), Villegas had 18,149 (31.2%), and Jasmeet Bains—a more moderate physician and state Assembly member backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)—had 15,695 (27%).
Villegas, a Central Valley native who owns an auto repair shop and teaches at a community college, said in a Tuesday statement that "voters in the Central Valley have spoken and they have declared that the Valley is not for sale."
"Despite the onslaught of outside corporate money spent against us, we have shown that working people are ready for change," he continued. "We are ready for the government to work for us, not just the wealthy and well-connected. We want our hard-earned tax dollars delivering affordable healthcare, not senseless wars abroad."
"David Valadao has sold us out for too long, voting to cut healthcare for families in the Valley, and siding with corporate interests over working people," he added. "I'm going to be focused on winning over every voter in our district and showing that I will be the true fighter for our community in DC."
Throughout the primary campaign, Villegas won support from key leaders in California, from labor icon Dolores Huerta to Democratic US Reps. Nanette Barragán, Robert Garcia, Ro Khanna, Linda Sánchez, and Lateefah Simon. Other congressional backers included Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Greg Casar (D-Texas), and Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
In addition to congratulating Villegas, Frost on Tuesday highlighted how political action committees tried to tank the progressive Democrat, saying on social media that "he defeated special interests and dark money PACs who spent millions to take down a champion running to fight for working people, pass Medicare for All, and protect immigrants."
Looking to November, when Democrats hope to reclaim control of Congress, Frost predicted that "Randy will defeat David Valadao."
While the DCCC backed Bains—and, according to Axios, some Democratic lawmakers are now threatening to withhold dues absent "a course-correction" after the party's House campaign arm spent $135,000 on her unsuccessful run—Villegas won over the CPC and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).
"Randy Villegas' victory is a powerful reminder that perseverance, community, and hard work can overcome even the toughest obstacles," Sánchez, chair of the CHC BOLD PAC, said Tuesday. "Randy built a grassroots movement rooted in the values that define the Central Valley. His victory reflects the aspirations of working families who want a leader who understands their struggles and will fight for their future."
Other organizations backing Villegas include End Citizens United, Indivisible, Leaders We Deserve, MoveOn, the National Education Association, National Nurses United, Our Revolution, the Working Families Party (WFP), and more.
"Once again, voters are showing they want progressive fighters —not status-quo conservative Democrats—representing them in Washington. Unlike his opponents, Randy Villegas refused to be bought by the very corporations and special interests making life hell for Valley residents," said David Hogg, co-founder and president of Leaders We Deserve.
"Leaders We Deserve couldn't be prouder of our support," he continued, "and we look forward to helping Randy do what establishment, corporate Democrats have repeatedly failed to do: defeat Republican David Valadao."
Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, also took aim at the status quo in a Tuesday statement.
"The DC establishment spent millions to defeat Randy, because he’s not in the pocket of their corporate donors. Now, he's headed to a general election against Trump yes-man David Valadao, who voted to slash Medicaid and WIC benefits," he said, referring to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
"We know that Valadao and his corporate backers will spend outrageous amounts of money to stop Randy," Mitchell added, "but you can only screw over working people so many times before it comes back to bite you."
From Your Site Articles
Progressive Randy Villegas on Tuesday declared victory in a primary race for California's new 22nd Congressional District, a key part of Democratic efforts to combat President Donald Trump's attempt to maintain GOP control of Congress by rigging maps.
California's recent voter-approved redistricting made several swing districts held by Democrats less competitive and targeted five Republican-held seats, including the 22nd District, represented by GOP Congressman David Valadao.
Under California's "jungle" primary system, the two candidates from all parties with the most support advance. As of Tuesday, with 72% of votes in, Valadao had 24,376 votes (41.9%), Villegas had 18,149 (31.2%), and Jasmeet Bains—a more moderate physician and state Assembly member backed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)—had 15,695 (27%).
Villegas, a Central Valley native who owns an auto repair shop and teaches at a community college, said in a Tuesday statement that "voters in the Central Valley have spoken and they have declared that the Valley is not for sale."
"Despite the onslaught of outside corporate money spent against us, we have shown that working people are ready for change," he continued. "We are ready for the government to work for us, not just the wealthy and well-connected. We want our hard-earned tax dollars delivering affordable healthcare, not senseless wars abroad."
"David Valadao has sold us out for too long, voting to cut healthcare for families in the Valley, and siding with corporate interests over working people," he added. "I'm going to be focused on winning over every voter in our district and showing that I will be the true fighter for our community in DC."
Throughout the primary campaign, Villegas won support from key leaders in California, from labor icon Dolores Huerta to Democratic US Reps. Nanette Barragán, Robert Garcia, Ro Khanna, Linda Sánchez, and Lateefah Simon. Other congressional backers included Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) Chair Greg Casar (D-Texas), and Reps. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.), and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
In addition to congratulating Villegas, Frost on Tuesday highlighted how political action committees tried to tank the progressive Democrat, saying on social media that "he defeated special interests and dark money PACs who spent millions to take down a champion running to fight for working people, pass Medicare for All, and protect immigrants."
Looking to November, when Democrats hope to reclaim control of Congress, Frost predicted that "Randy will defeat David Valadao."
While the DCCC backed Bains—and, according to Axios, some Democratic lawmakers are now threatening to withhold dues absent "a course-correction" after the party's House campaign arm spent $135,000 on her unsuccessful run—Villegas won over the CPC and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC).
"Randy Villegas' victory is a powerful reminder that perseverance, community, and hard work can overcome even the toughest obstacles," Sánchez, chair of the CHC BOLD PAC, said Tuesday. "Randy built a grassroots movement rooted in the values that define the Central Valley. His victory reflects the aspirations of working families who want a leader who understands their struggles and will fight for their future."
Other organizations backing Villegas include End Citizens United, Indivisible, Leaders We Deserve, MoveOn, the National Education Association, National Nurses United, Our Revolution, the Working Families Party (WFP), and more.
"Once again, voters are showing they want progressive fighters —not status-quo conservative Democrats—representing them in Washington. Unlike his opponents, Randy Villegas refused to be bought by the very corporations and special interests making life hell for Valley residents," said David Hogg, co-founder and president of Leaders We Deserve.
"Leaders We Deserve couldn't be prouder of our support," he continued, "and we look forward to helping Randy do what establishment, corporate Democrats have repeatedly failed to do: defeat Republican David Valadao."
Maurice Mitchell, national director of the Working Families Party, also took aim at the status quo in a Tuesday statement.
"The DC establishment spent millions to defeat Randy, because he’s not in the pocket of their corporate donors. Now, he's headed to a general election against Trump yes-man David Valadao, who voted to slash Medicaid and WIC benefits," he said, referring to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.
"We know that Valadao and his corporate backers will spend outrageous amounts of money to stop Randy," Mitchell added, "but you can only screw over working people so many times before it comes back to bite you."
From Your Site Articles
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.