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California's 21st Congressional District election, 2020

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California's 21st Congressional District
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Top-two primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 6, 2019
Primary: March 3, 2020
General: November 3, 2020
Pre-election incumbent:
TJ Cox (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in California
Race ratings
Cook Political Report: Toss-up
Inside Elections: Toss-up
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2020
See also
California's 21st Congressional District
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California elections, 2020
U.S. Congress elections, 2020
U.S. Senate elections, 2020
U.S. House elections, 2020

David G. Valadao (R) defeated incumbent TJ Cox (D) in the general election for California's 21st Congressional District on November 3, 2020.

The race was one of 56 U.S. House rematches from 2018. Valadao represented the district from 2013 to 2019. Cox defeated him in 2018 50.4% to 49.6%.

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+5, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 5 percentage points more Democratic than the national average.

In February 2019, Cox was named among the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC)'s Frontline program members. DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos said, "Our Majority hinges on these Members from tough seats winning reelection in 2020, and with today’s announcement we’re sending a clear message that the DCCC will stand shoulder to shoulder with them in the fight ahead."[1]

Valadao was announced as a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC)'s Young Guns program in April 2020. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said, "These candidates are running extraordinarily competitive, top-of-the-line campaign operations. ... Their hard work has put the majority well within our reach, and I look forward to welcoming each one of them to Congress come fall."[2]

The outcome of this race affected partisan control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the 117th Congress. All 435 seats in the House were up for election. At the time of the election, Democrats had a 232 to 198 majority over Republicans. The Libertarian Party had one seat. Four seats were vacant. Democrats defended 30 districts Donald Trump (R) won in 2016. Republicans defended five districts Hillary Clinton (D) won in 2016. California's 21st Congressional District is located in the south-central portion of the state and includes Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.[3]
This race was one of 89 congressional races that were decided by 10 percent or less in 2020.

Independent For more information about the top-two primary, click here.

Post-election analysis

The table below compares the vote totals in the 2020 presidential election and 2020 U.S. House election for this district. The presidential election data was compiled by Daily Kos.

Presidential and congressional election results, California's 21st Congressional District, 2020
Race Presidential U.S. House
Democratic candidate Democratic Party 54.4 49.6
Republican candidate Republican Party 43.5 50.4
Difference 10.9 0.8

Election procedure changes in 2020

See also: Changes to election dates, procedures, and administration in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, 2020

Ballotpedia provided comprehensive coverage of how election dates and procedures changed in 2020. While the majority of changes occurred as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, some changes occurred for other reasons.

California modified its absentee/mail-in and in-person voting procedures for the November 3, 2020, general election as follows:

  • Absentee/mail-in voting: Mail-in ballots were sent to all registered voters in the general election.
  • In-person voting: Counties were authorized to consolidate precincts and defer opening voting centers until the third day before the election.

For a full timeline about election modifications made in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, click here.

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Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 21

David G. Valadao defeated incumbent TJ Cox in the general election for U.S. House California District 21 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao (R)
 
50.4
 
85,928
Image of TJ Cox
TJ Cox (D)
 
49.6
 
84,406

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 170,334
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 21

David G. Valadao and incumbent TJ Cox defeated Ricardo De La Fuente and Roque De La Fuente in the primary for U.S. House California District 21 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao (R)
 
49.7
 
39,488
✔
Image of TJ Cox
TJ Cox (D)
 
38.7
 
30,697
Image of Ricardo De La Fuente
Ricardo De La Fuente (D)
 
9.2
 
7,309
Image of Roque De La Fuente
Roque De La Fuente (R)
 
2.4
 
1,912

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 79,406
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

This section includes candidate profiles created in one of two ways. Either the candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey or Ballotpedia staff created a profile after identifying the candidate as noteworthy.[4] Ballotpedia staff compiled profiles based on campaign websites, advertisements, and public statements.


TJ Cox

Image of TJ Cox

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

U.S House (Assumed office: 2019)

Biography:  Cox was born and raised in California, and his parents came to the U.S. from the Phillipines and China. He received a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Nevada and an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University. He was an engineer and businessman. After volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, he created the Central Valley Fund.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Cox said he delivered for working families and stood up to Trump in office. He said he "authored bold legislation to expand rural health care access, secured $10 million for post-traumatic stress research in military service members, and delivered millions in funding for desperately needed water storage and infrastructure."

Cox said he helped build health clinics across the valley and that he fought for asthma treatment funding and to make healthcare more affordable.

Cox's ads said Valadao voted with Trump 99% of the time. They called Valadao a yes-man for Trump and said Valadao's agenda is a copy of Trump's. He said they both supported cutting protections for people with pre-existing conditions, instituting a health insurance age tax, and undermining Social Security and Medicare.

Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "TJ Cox, Videos," accessed October 1, 2020; Vote Smart, "TJ Cox's Biography," accessed October 1, 2020; TJ Cox's 2020 campaign website, "Meet TJ," accessed October 1, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 21 in 2020.

David G. Valadao

Image of David G. Valadao

WebsiteFacebookTwitterYouTube

Party: Republican Party

Incumbent: No

Political Office: 

Biography:  Valadao was born and raised in California, and his parents came to the U.S. from Portugal. Valadao received his diploma from Hanford High School and attended the College of the Sequoias. He worked as regional leadership council chairman for Land O'Lakes Inc. As of the election, Valadao worked on his family farm.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages, click here.

Valadao's campaign ads said he was ranked one of the most bipartisan members of Congress and was an independent problem-solver. They said he worked with both parties to bring water to the valley and make healthcare more accessible. Valadao's ads said he stood up to his own party to protect DREAMers. 

Valadao's campaign website said, "We need to protect our water, make health care more affordable and accessible, work to bring new jobs and job training to the Central Valley, and stand up for seniors and veterans to ensure they get the benefits they deserve."  

Valadao's ads said Cox was the most corrupt member of Congress. They said Cox used his office to hide a conflict of interest and didn't pay taxes he owed.

Show sources

Sources: YouTube, "David Valadao, Videos," accessed October 1, 2020; David Valadao's 2020 campaign website, "Meet David," accessed October 1, 2020

This information was current as of the candidate's run for U.S. House California District 21 in 2020.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

If you are aware of polls conducted in this race, please email us.

Campaign finance

This section contains campaign finance figures from the Federal Election Commission covering all candidate fundraising and spending in this election.[5] It does not include information on fundraising before the current campaign cycle or on spending by satellite groups. The numbers in this section are updated as candidates file new campaign finance reports. Candidates for Congress are required to file financial reports on a quarterly basis, as well as two weeks before any primary, runoff, or general election in which they will be on the ballot and upon the termination of any campaign committees.[6] The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
TJ Cox Democratic Party $6,095,805 $6,094,653 $55,943 As of December 31, 2020
David G. Valadao Republican Party $4,095,746 $4,018,834 $155,830 As of December 31, 2020

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2020. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+5, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 5 percentage points more Democratic than the national average. This made California's 21st Congressional District the 168th most Democratic nationally.[7]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.93. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.93 points toward that party.[8]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods

Ballotpedia provides race ratings from four outlets: The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball, and DDHQ/The Hill. Each race rating indicates if one party is perceived to have an advantage in the race and, if so, the degree of advantage:

  • Safe and Solid ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge and the race is not competitive.
  • Likely ratings indicate that one party has a clear edge, but an upset is possible.
  • Lean ratings indicate that one party has a small edge, but the race is competitive.[9]
  • Toss-up ratings indicate that neither party has an advantage.

Race ratings are informed by a number of factors, including polling, candidate quality, and election result history in the race's district or state.[10][11][12]

Race ratings: California's 21st Congressional District election, 2020
Race trackerRace ratings
November 3, 2020October 27, 2020October 20, 2020October 13, 2020
The Cook Political ReportToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesToss-upToss-upToss-upToss-up
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean DemocraticToss-upToss-upToss-up
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every week throughout the election season.

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.


Noteworthy endorsements
Endorsement Cox (D) Valadao (R)
Newspapers and editorials
The Fresno Bee editorial board[13] ✔
Individuals
Former President Barack Obama (D)[14] ✔
Organizations
U.S. Chamber of Commerce[15] ✔

Timeline

2020

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Bluedot.png TJ Cox

Supporting Cox

"For Us" - Cox campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"Carlos" - Cox campaign ad, released October 19, 2020
"Tackling Our Toughest Problems" - Cox campaign ad, released October 13, 2020
"Tough" - Cox campaign ad, released October 13, 2020
"Lit A Fire" - Cox campaign ad, released October 3, 2020
"For Too Many" - Cox campaign ad, released September 22, 2020
"Irene" - Cox campaign ad, released September 8, 2020
"Proud" - Cox campaign ad, released August 25, 2020
"Every Corner" - Cox campaign ad, released August 11, 2020

Opposing Valadao

"After All" - Cox campaign ad, released October 23, 2020
"What He's Hiding" - Cox campaign ad, released October 6, 2020
"Earned It" - Cox campaign ad, released October 3, 2020
"Had Enough" - Cox campaign ad, released September 24, 2020
"Copia" - Cox campaign ad, released September 25, 2020
"Copy" - Cox campaign ad, released September 15, 2020
"Affordable" - Cox campaign ad, released August 25, 2020

Republican Party David Valadao

Supporting Valadao

"One of the Most Bipartisan Members of Congress" - Valadao campaign ad, released October 27, 2020
"David Valadao: Values Over Party" - Valadao campaign ad, released October 20, 2020
"David Valadao es un campeón para los Dreamers." - Valadao campaign ad, released October 12, 2020
"David Valadao: Protecting Our Water!" - Valadao campaign ad, released October 7, 2020
"David Valadao is a Champion for Dreamers" - Valadao campaign ad, released September 24, 2020
"David Valadao has deep roots to the Valley." - Valadao campaign ad, released September 17, 2020
"David Valadao is on Our Side - Greg." - Valadao campaign ad, released September 17, 2020
"David Valadao: A Champion for Veterans" - Valadao campaign ad, released September 17, 2020
"Bipartisan David Valadao is on Our Side." - Valadao campaign ad, released September 17, 2020
"David Valadao es uno de nosotros." - Valadao campaign ad, released August 19, 2020
"David Valadao está de nuestro lado." - Valadao campaign ad, released August 18, 2020
"David Valadao is an independent problem solver. He's different - a leader we can trust." - Valadao campaign ad, released August 14, 2020
"David Valadao will fight to fix our broken immigration system and protect dreamers." - Valadao campaign ad, released August 14, 2020

Opposing Cox

"TJ Cox has Embarrassed Us" - Valadao campaign ad, released October 27, 2020
"$1,000,000 - Missing from TJ Cox's Charity" - Valadao campaign ad, released October 8, 2020
"TJ Cox’s supporters – taking away our water" - Valadao campaign ad, released October 7, 2020
"El congresista más corrupto" - Valadao campaign ad, released September 23, 2020
"TJ Cox Only Looks Out For himself." - Valadao campaign ad, released September 17, 2020
"TJ Cox: Most Corrupt Member of Congress" - Valadao campaign ad, released September 17, 2020
"TJ Cox always puts his money first." - Valadao campaign ad, released August 20, 2020
"TJ Cox siempre pone sus intereses primero" - Valadao campaign ad, released August 20, 2020

Satellite group ads

Opposing Cox

"What It Costs" - National Republican Congressional Committee ad, released October 6, 2020
"We Know" - National Republican Congressional Committee ad, released September 22, 2020
"Looks Like" - National Republican Congressional Committee ad, released September 15, 2020

Opposing Valadao

"Frame" - Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad, released October 1, 2020
"Personal" - House Majority PAC ad, released September 21, 2020
"Puppet" - Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee ad, released September 8, 2020

Debates and forums

October 20, 2020

KGET News hosted a debate. View a video of Part 1 here. View Part 2 here.

Campaign themes

See also: Campaign themes

Democratic Party TJ Cox

Cox's campaign website stated the following:

“
  • Seniors
"We must keep our promises to seniors."
Generations of Americans built the Social Security system out of a shared belief that if you work hard your whole life, you should be able to count on a retirement you can live on. TJ strongly supports this model.
When TJ was a boy, his father was tragically killed in a car accident, and Social Security’s Survivor Benefits for Children helped TJ and his family in their time of need.
TJ is committed to protecting Medicare and Social Security so that seniors and families in the Central Valley receive the full benefits they have been promised — and he will stand up against any attempt to privatize or cut these programs.
  • Immigration
"We need a system that works for our families and our economy."
As the son of immigrants, TJ knows and appreciates the value and contributions immigrants make to our communities and our country, and believes everyone working here in the United States deserves a pathway to legal status.
Immigrants in the Central Valley and beyond should be valued for their contributions to their community and the local economy. For the Valley’s businesses to thrive, we need an immigration system that actually works.
TJ’s proudest moment in Congress was his vote for the American Dream and Promise Act, which protects DACA recipients who came to America as children and offers them a pathway to citizenship without fear of deportation.
TJ also helped create a workforce solution for the agriculture industry here in the Valley, which relies on the contributions of immigrants, through the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. TJ has been a strong advocate for humanitarian standards for those in border control custody, and he has worked to protect DACA students from discrimination in colleges.
You can count on TJ to continue the fight against President Trump’s cruel and senseless immigration policies in Congress. TJ doesn’t see the diversity of our nation as a problem, but as our promise.
  • Healthcare
"Central Valley families deserve access to affordable care."
The Covid-19 pandemic has only highlighted the need for healthcare reform both in the Central Valley and across the nation. We must ensure affordable and accessible healthcare for all Americans.
Before being elected, TJ secured hard-to-get funding for community health clinics across the Central Valley. His efforts have brought health care access to rural communities so that hardworking families can see doctors, dentists, and other medical professionals when they need to — and in their own communities. He has funded clinics in Fowler, Mendota, Parlier, and Sanger, creating over 250 local health care jobs and serving over 40,000 residents here in the 21st District.
In Washington, TJ has offered amendments that increased the Affordable Care Act’s outreach and education to areas of high unemployment. He also supported the Lower Drug Costs Now Act that will force drug companies to lower their outrageous prices so that people can get the prescriptions they need without having to worry about the cost.
Here in the Central Valley, we suffer from respiratory illnesses like Valley Fever and asthma at much higher rates than other places around the country. Thirty percent of all cases of Valley Fever occur locally in Kern County. In Congress, TJ introduced the End Valley Fever Now Act as well as four bills to help people in the Valley who suffer from asthma and COPD. TJ also serves on bipartisan committees in Congress that focus on finding solutions for people who suffer from diabetes as well as substance abuse.
TJ advocates for expanding tele-health services, particularly for people living in rural communities far from hospitals or other treatment centers. He introduced legislation that would increase funding for these services in rural areas, which is now even more essential in the time of the Coronavirus pandemic. TJ is committed to the fight for fair & equitable healthcare access in the Central Valley.
  • Jobs
"We need to jumpstart and sustain our economy."
TJ knows how to come up with innovative and creative solutions to create jobs in our communities. Before being elected to Congress, TJ was the founder of the Central Valley’s most successful community development entity. TJ has created more than 2,000 jobs, built businesses from the ground up, and developed job training programs that prepare Central Valley residents for 21st century jobs — all right here at home. TJ doesn’t just create jobs; he creates careers that pay a living wage and offer benefits.
As founder of a nut processing plant in the Valley, TJ knows firsthand that agriculture drives our Central Valley economy. In Congress, TJ’s plan to provide critical relief to more family farmers during the agricultural downturn became law. As a member of the Agriculture Committee TJ has ensured that California’s farmers and ranchers have a seat at the table and that they have the support they need to continue supplying the world with fresh produce, dairy and meat.
In Congress, TJ will continue his work in creating health care, agricultural and other good-paying jobs. He will work to create and foster new agricultural businesses, protect and expand export markets, fight for fair trade deals, and invest in job training. While we are facing unprecedented levels of unemployment, you can count on TJ to put more Americans back to work.
  • Water
"We must protect the lifeblood of the Central Valley."
TJ knows that water is the lifeblood of the Central Valley. Unfortunately, the Valley has been particularly susceptible to extreme weather patterns in California, including both long droughts and periods of heavy precipitation. As one of the nation’s largest agricultural centers, we need reliable water sources and storage to combat these volatile weather patterns.
As an engineer, TJ understands the necessity of water storage and conveyance systems here in the Valley. That’s why TJ fought for $150 million in funding for these projects in his first year in Congress. As a member of the Natural Resources Committee he introduced and advocated for legislation that will restore the water carrying capacity for conveyance facilities that have been impacted by land subsidence, like the Friant-Kern and Delta-Mendota canals.
TJ agrees that access to safe, clean drinking water is a human right. The State of California declared this back in 2012, but there are still more than 300,000 Californians who lack access to clean water. Over half of these people live in Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and Kern countries that make up California’s 21st Congressional District. That’s why TJ has made it his mission to fight for clean water in Congress. He introduced the Disadvantaged Community Drinking Water Assistance Act, which would establish a grant program to close gaps in access to safe drinking water for residents of the Central Valley.
TJ understands that the lack of water storage capacity and access to clean drinking water is a public health emergency in California, and it is one of his top priorities to solve this crisis as your representative.
  • Education
"Nothing is more important than investing in our children’s future."
In the 21st century, curriculum focused on STEM and career readiness is essential, yet many rural school districts lack access to these opportunities. TJ introduced the INSPIRES Act in Congress, which will build STEM classrooms and labs in rural public schools as well as provide for high-speed internet access for students.
The Covid-19 pandemic has only increased our reliance on technology for education. TJ has written numerous letters to House and Senate leadership requesting funding for rural STEM infrastructure and help for educators in rural communities to teach online during these times.
In CA-21, only 8 percent of residents have a college degree. TJ believes in lowering the cost of college for students, holding universities accountable for student success, and helping students graduate on time and ready to join the workforce.
Prior to being elected to Congress, TJ funded local community college facilities and programs here in the Central Valley, including the West Hill Community College Farm of the Future. In Washington, TJ introduced the Remedical Improvement Act, which would help students receive federal financial aid to finish their studies and graduate on time.
TJ will continue to spend his time in Congress working to close the educational gap that exists between rural and urban communities by increasing funding for STEM-based programs and modern infrastructure for Central Valley schools.
  • Veterans
"Our veterans sacrificed for us, now we must support and protect them."
Veterans from all across the Central Valley have served courageously to protect our freedom. It’s our turn to honor them by ensuring they have access to their well-deserved benefits, quality healthcare and any other services they may need.
TJ introduced the Caring for Survivors Act of 2020 to support the family members of veterans and ensure they are receiving the benefits they deserve. This bill will expand the benefits offered by the Dependency and Indemnity Compensation Fund at the VA. Previously, veteran survivor benefits were not on par with other federal retirement programs. The least we can do to honor our courageous service-members and their families is to ensure that they are entitled to adequate benefits.
Many of our veterans suffer from trauma after their time in service. In Congress, TJ passed an amendment that provided $10 million in funding for traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress research within the Department of Defense. TJ also honored the brave servicemen in the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory group who were not receiving benefits they were entitled to by introducing the Forgotten Vietnam Veterans Act, extending their wartime veteran benefits. In rural communities like the Central Valley, many veterans live far away from their healthcare providers. To help increase veterans’ access to care, TJ introduced legislation that would offer grants to transport veterans to their healthcare facilities, regardless of where they live.
TJ will continue to honor our brave veterans by passing legislation in Congress that protects them and ensures they receive the benefits they’ve earned.[17]
 ”
—TJ Cox's campaign website (2020)[18]


Republican Party David Valadao

Valadao’s campaign website stated the following:

“
  • Agriculture
As a dairy farmer, David understands the challenges that our farmers and ranchers face as a part of California’s competitive agriculture industry. It is critical to ensure California remains an agricultural leader that provides good careers for the Central Valley and food for the world.
California’s diverse agricultural economy is a $35 billion-dollar industry that produces over 400 commodities and accounts for over a half of our nation’s fruits and vegetables. We need to ensure our farmers and ranchers have the tools they need to produce our food supply and that they continue to remain competitive internationally.
  • Veterans
We owe a great debt of gratitude to those who fight to preserve our freedom. Whether it be ensuring they have the tools to stay safe in battle, access to high quality healthcare, or education and employment opportunities here at home, our men and women in uniform deserve our gratitude and our support.
Most importantly, our veterans deserve to have their physical and mental health cared for when they return home from serving. The VA has been falling short in their duty to veterans and needs to be restored to the pinnacle of care for our heroes.
David is grateful for the sacrifice of so many and will represent them and their families in Washington. As a country, it is our duty to respect the memory of those lost and honor those who have fought for our freedom.
  • Water
In the Central Valley, life as we know it is dependent upon securing a reliable and clean supply of water. Farmers, families, and entire communities must receive the water they need to strengthen the economy and raise our families.
David knows that a safe and stable water supply is critical to the Central Valley and the State’s $54 billion agriculture industry. In Congress, he will fight to address our local needs during the drought.
  • Jobs & Economy
While the stock market is at an all-time high and the unemployment rate nationally continues to drop, too many people in the 21st Congressional District are out of work and aren’t feeling the positive effects of our growing economy. The unemployment rate in the San Joaquin Valley is nearly double the national average.
David knows that our economy needs to work for rural and working families, not just big cities. Small businesses are the backbone of our nation’s economy and needless regulations and a greater tax burden make it harder for them to hire. David will work to pass common sense legislation that will put Americans, especially those in the Central Valley, back to work.
  • Healthcare
David believes quality, affordable healthcare should be available to all Americans. It is important to enact reforms that lower the cost of healthcare while maintaining access to healthcare for America’s most vulnerable populations – like the elderly, poor and those with pre-existing conditions.
David believes the best healthcare is a market-based approach to healthcare reform that provides individuals with competitive choices and addresses the needs of those unable to afford healthcare insurance. It is David’s priority to ensure your healthcare remains in the hands of you and your doctor, not the federal government.
  • Seniors
Our nation’s financial situation requires that we carefully examine the future of programs our seniors depend upon like Medicare and Social Security.
Without improvements, both Social Security and Medicare will be unable to fully meet the promises made to the next generation of retirees and will burden future generations with reduction in services and crushing tax increases. Both programs risk complete collapse before our children and grandchildren ever receive a single benefit. This is simply unacceptable to David, who believes we must act in order to strengthen and preserve these vital programs.
  • Immigration
As the son of immigrants, immigration reform is an issue close to David’s heart. David knows that our current system is broken and in need of comprehensive repair.
David supports a reasonable and responsible pathway to citizenship for those wishing to enter our country and those already here. This will allow many undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows, get involved in their children’s education, find employment, and raise their families.
An important aspect of immigration reform is addressing concerns of the agriculture industry and farm workers. Developing a guest worker program that will enable access to a reliable workforce is crucial to the stability of our local agricultural economy. Most importantly, David believes that we should recognize the importance of family in American society and acknowledge the danger of separating families. Rather than targeting those simply trying to raise their families, we should equip law enforcement with the tools to focus on undocumented immigrants who have committed serious crimes.
Reforming our nation’s immigration system is a massive undertaking. David will work on immigration reform until a solution is reached.
  • Education
As the father of three, David understands that every child learns differently and needs to have access to a quality, affordable education that works for them.
A “one-size-fits-all” approach of Washington bureaucrats only hinders the education of our nation’s children. Parents and educators should have the resources and flexibility to provide an education that meets the needs of their community and each individual student. Education should be more comprehensive at all levels and David supports expanding vocational and trade school options for our students.
David believes that education is the pathway to success and that everyone should have access to the tools they need to accomplish their goals.
  • Spending
David believes that Washington should live by the same rules as every American family, which means they must balance the budget and spend no more than what they take in.
Today’s government spends, borrows, and taxes its people too much. Our national debt has surpassed $23 trillion, over $65,000 for every man, woman, and child in America. David strongly opposes wasteful projects, such as the construction of a high-speed rail system throughout California which will cost tax payers billions of dollars with little added benefit.
Responsible spending reductions to tackle our national debt will strengthen the U.S. economy and create economic opportunity for families in the Central Valley. These spending cuts, coupled with the implementation of a fairer tax code and strong incentives to work and invest, will lower the tax burden for all Americans, while providing increased support for necessary federal programs.
It is time to get serious about our nation’s spending problem and David is committed to working with his colleagues to do what is best for the American people.
  • Reforming Washington
David believes the role of government agencies is to serve the interest of every American, not what is best for bureaucrats in Washington.
Government can only be accountable when it’s Members of Congress are transparent and accessible to the voters. David makes a point to be in the community he calls home, meeting with people as often as possible, not in Washington D.C. with lobbyists and insiders.
Today, David and his family live on their dairy farm in Hanford where they are raising their three children. David believes that Members of Congress need know the people they serve in order represent them well.
  • Energy
Our nation, especially California, is blessed with an abundance of traditional and renewable energy resources. However, red tape and frivolous litigation is blocking the development of America’s energy resources, killing jobs and slamming families with sky-high energy costs.
David supports expanding our domestic energy potential to reduce our dependence on foreign energy and save money here at home. California can play an instrumental role in energy production. In additional to renewable energy sources like solar and hydro power, our State has the potential to produce oil and natural gas. Developing California’s energy resources will create jobs in our communities while lowering our national demand for energy by supporting innovation to improve our economy’s energy efficiency.[17]
 ”
—David Valadao's campaign website (2020)[19]


Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in California. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won California with 61.7 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 31.6 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, California voted Republican 53.33 percent of the time and Democratic 43.33 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, California voted Democratic all five times. In 2016, California had 55 electoral votes, which was the most of any state. The 55 electoral votes were 10.2 percent of all 538 available electoral votes and were 20.4 percent of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in California. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[20][21]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 58 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 38.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 66 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 40.3 points. Clinton won 11 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 22 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 12.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 14 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 13 points.

Candidate ballot access

The table below details filing requirements for 21st Congressional District candidates in California in the 2020 election cycle. For additional information on candidate ballot access requirements in California, click here.

Filing requirements, 2020
State Office Party Signatures required Signature formula Filing fee Filing fee formula Filing deadline Source
California 21st Congressional District All candidates 2,000 Fixed number $1,740.00 1% of annual salary 12/6/2019 Source

District election history

2018

See also: California's 21st Congressional District election, 2018

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 21

TJ Cox defeated incumbent David G. Valadao in the general election for U.S. House California District 21 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of TJ Cox
TJ Cox (D)
 
50.4
 
57,239
Image of David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao (R)
 
49.6
 
56,377

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 113,616
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 21

Incumbent David G. Valadao and TJ Cox advanced from the primary for U.S. House California District 21 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of David G. Valadao
David G. Valadao (R)
 
62.8
 
34,290
✔
Image of TJ Cox
TJ Cox (D)
 
37.2
 
20,293

Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified.

Total votes: 54,583
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

2016

See also: California's 21st Congressional District election, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated this race as safely Republican. Incumbent David Valadao (R) defeated Emilio Huerta (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Valadao and Huerta defeated Daniel Parra (D) in the top-two primary on June 7, 2016.[22][23][24]

U.S. House, California District 21 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Valadao Incumbent 56.7% 75,126
     Democratic Emilio Huerta 43.3% 57,282
Total Votes 132,408
Source: California Secretary of State


U.S. House, California District 21 Primary, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Valadao Incumbent 54% 37,367
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngEmilio Huerta 24.2% 16,743
     Democratic Daniel Parra 21.8% 15,056
Total Votes 69,166
Source: California Secretary of State

2014

See also: California's 21st Congressional District elections, 2014

California's 21st Congressional District was a battleground district in 2014 due to it being a Democratic leaning district held by a Republican incumbent. Incumbent David Valadao (R) and Amanda Renteria (D) triumphed in the blanket primary over John Hernandez (D). Valadao successfully defended his seat, defeating Renteria in the general election on November 4, 2014.[25][26]

U.S. House, California District 21 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Valadao Incumbent 57.8% 45,907
     Democratic Amanda Renteria 42.2% 33,470
Total Votes 79,377
Source: California Secretary of State

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ DCCC, "Frontline," February 7, 2019
  2. ↑ NRCC, "McCarthy Announces Seven “Young Guns” in Final Phase of Young Guns Program," April 14, 2020
  3. ↑ California Redistricting Map, "Map," accessed September 25, 2012
  4. ↑ Candidate Connection surveys completed before September 26, 2019, were not used to generate candidate profiles. In battleground primaries, Ballotpedia based its selection of noteworthy candidates on polling, fundraising, and noteworthy endorsements. In battleground general elections, all major party candidates and any other candidates with the potential to impact the outcome of the race were included.
  5. ↑ Fundraising by primary candidates can be found on the race's respective primary election page. Fundraising by general election candidates can be found on the race's general election page.
  6. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "2022 Quarterly Reports," accessed March 2, 2022
  7. ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  8. ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  9. ↑ Inside Elections also uses Tilt ratings to indicate an even smaller advantage and greater competitiveness.
  10. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Nathan Gonzalez," April 19, 2018
  11. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Kyle Kondik," April 19, 2018
  12. ↑ Amee LaTour, "Email correspondence with Charlie Cook," April 22, 2018
  13. ↑ The Fresno Bee, "Hanford dairyman David Valadao wants to return to Congress. Voters should let him," February 26, 2020
  14. ↑ Medium, "First Wave of 2020 Endorsements," August 3, 2020
  15. ↑ TJ Cox's 2020 campaign website, "TJ Cox Endorsed by US Chamber of Commerce in Race vs. Valadao," September 2, 2020
  16. ↑ TJ Cox's 2020 campaign website, "TJ Cox Endorsed by US Chamber of Commerce in Race vs. Valadao," September 2, 2020
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  18. ↑ TJ Cox's 2020 campaign website, “Priorities,” accessed Sept. 30, 2020
  19. ↑ David Valadao’s 2020 campaign website, “Issues,” accessed September 30, 2020
  20. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  21. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  22. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices June 7, 2016, Presidential Primary Election," accessed April 4, 2016
  23. ↑ The New York Times, "California Primary Results," June 7, 2016
  24. ↑ California Secretary of State, "Statement of Vote," June 7, 2016
  25. ↑ The New York Times, "California Primary Results," June 3, 2014
  26. ↑ The Huffington Post, "Election 2014," November 4, 2014


California's current delegation to the United States Congress
Senators
Alex Padilla (D)
Adam Schiff (D)
Representatives
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District 2
District 3
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Ami Bera (D)
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
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Adam Gray (D)
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
Ro Khanna (D)
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
Jim Costa (D)
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
Raul Ruiz (D)
District 26
District 27
District 28
Judy Chu (D)
District 29
Luz Rivas (D)
District 30
District 31
District 32
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District 35
District 36
Ted Lieu (D)
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
Young Kim (R)
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
Dave Min (D)
District 48
District 49
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District 51
District 52
Democratic Party (45)
Republican Party (9)


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