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Kevin Cookingham

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Kevin Cookingham
Image of Kevin Cookingham
Elections and appointments
Last election

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

California State University, Fresno, 1982

Graduate

California State University, Fresno, 1988

Personal
Birthplace
Fresno, Calif.
Religion
Christian
Profession
Educator
Contact

Kevin Cookingham (Republican Party) ran for election to the U.S. House to represent California's 16th Congressional District. He lost in the general election on November 3, 2020.

Cookingham completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Cookingham was born in Fresno, California. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from California State University, Fresno in 1982 and 1988, respectively.[1]

Elections

2020

See also: California's 16th Congressional District election, 2020

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 16

Incumbent Jim Costa defeated Kevin Cookingham in the general election for U.S. House California District 16 on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jim Costa
Jim Costa (D)
 
59.4
 
128,690
Image of Kevin Cookingham
Kevin Cookingham (R) Candidate Connection
 
40.6
 
88,039

Total votes: 216,729
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.

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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 16

Incumbent Jim Costa and Kevin Cookingham defeated Esmeralda Soria and Kim Williams in the primary for U.S. House California District 16 on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Jim Costa
Jim Costa (D)
 
37.5
 
41,228
Image of Kevin Cookingham
Kevin Cookingham (R) Candidate Connection
 
35.2
 
38,652
Image of Esmeralda Soria
Esmeralda Soria (D)
 
21.4
 
23,484
Image of Kim Williams
Kim Williams (D) Candidate Connection
 
5.9
 
6,458

Total votes: 109,822
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.

Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls

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

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Kevin Cookingham completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cookingham's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Raised on his family ranch in Fresno, Kevin Cookingham learned the value of hard work while picking crops, tending to the livestock. He attended Clovis High School and wrestled for the 1974-1976 State Championship teams where he was a three time valley champion and placed twice in state championships. While in High School, Kevin also found his passion to serve others. This sparked his interest in missions work, both at home and abroad.

During his tenure with CUSD, Kevin developed an extensive Student Assistance Program supporting student success. Students in this program experienced a ninety-percent increase in grades and attendance. His reputation for success would find him at the helm of both the Clovis Online School and Clovis Adult Education. While Principal, Clovis Online grew from 12 students to 550 students and Clovis Adult doubled its number of academic graduates. Kevin was recognized for his achievements when he was named Clovis Unified School District Administrator of the Year.

Kevin served as a Board Member for Hume Lake Christian Camps where he spent five years as the Director of Programs and the Director of Development. With over 45,000 campers each year, Kevin played an integral role in starting and developing the Hume Charter School and expanding the camping ministry on site and throughout the world.

Kevin and his wife Kelli have raised their children here in Fresno County and now enjoy sharing this community with their three grandchildren.

  • We will secure jobs for the people of the Valley.

  • We will educate the Valley on where they can receive free, quality healthcare.

  • We will restore our district back to the foundations of education and turn away from left-leaning indoctrination.

I believe that the tax code needs to be simplified. While certain acts have aided simplifying the tax code, I affirm that it needs a total reform, and not just more bills.

I believe that all life is from God and must be protected, both in the womb and throughout life. I will fight for the life of the unborn, and will pursue policies and support leaders that reach towards the same goal.

Our national debt is a serious issue. With a debt of over 23 trillion dollars, the US economy is headed towards a terrible future if nothing is done to alleviate it.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

Campaign website

Cookingham’s campaign website stated the following:

ON THE ISSUES

Education

Politicians in Washington DC and Sacramento have neglected our kid’s educational needs while using the public-school system for their own social engineering agenda. As an educator with twenty-five years of experience, I am fully aware of the deceptive curriculum being imposed on our students, parents and teachers. We need to get back to the basics of equipping students with the fundamentals while expanding options for vocational education and trade schools.

Jobs

The 16th district’s unemployment rate in 2018 was 16.9%. This is almost five times the national average! As the Principal of Clovis Adult School, my staff and I had tremendous success with job training and community networking, successfully placing students in real world jobs. As your congressman I will continue to focus on employment preparedness and job creation, so all our districts residents will have the opportunity to better paying jobs.

Homelessness

We are spending billions of dollars on homelessness in California, and yet our homeless population continues to grow. Government solutions like providing clean needles have only exacerbated the problem. Let’s be honest, homelessness is mainly a drug, alcohol and mental health issue. Faith based organizations have a history of success in treating these issues. I will seek out and empower these non-profits, as opposed to throwing money at failed government solutions.

Health Care

In California, we have over 800 Community Health Clinics. These clinics provide care regardless of income level or citizenship. Also, no person can be turned away from a hospital emergency room. We are a compassionate Country and State. I believe that health care is a fundamental need, health insurance is not. Investing in proper health care facilities for the impoverished and our Veterans is the right thing to do.

Water

Our Central Valley is the bread basket of America and water is its lifeline. We must create new water storage below and above ground like Temperance Flat Dam, while adding more efficient transport. We must also explore new technological and conservation methods that won’t burden farmers or consumers.

Taxes

We need tax-reform, not new tax bills. The tax code is far too complicated and rewards or penalizes behavior. We need a tax code that is simplified, unlike the current one where those that can afford high priced accountants or lawyers to unravel it, are the biggest beneficiaries. While I applaud Congress for passing the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, it was flawed, instituting a politically motivated State and Local Tax (SALT) cap that has cost Central Valley residents millions. I support repealing the SALT cap and will work to pass real tax reform.

Abortion

After counseling hundreds of hurting students who had been deceived about abortion, I became more aware that abortion results not only in the death of the unborn child but incredible emotional wounding on the would be mother. I have never heard a student who experienced abortion mention any informed consent or counseling they received from the abortion facility. I am a staunch believer that all life, born and unborn, is sacred. Abortion has been redefined by many as healthcare or a right. We need to place the highest value on the most vulnerable, the unborn, and provide counseling support for those who have been deceived into having an abortion. We as a community need to care for unwanted or abandoned children.

Immigration

Our southern border needs to be secured! Many immigrants cross our border seeking a better life, yet there is still a pervasive criminal element that is using our unsecured border to traffic drugs and children. For those that are seeking a better life, we need to reform our immigration system so they are not waiting in line for years. We have the technology to both secure the border and create an expeditious vetting system; we just need to stop playing politics with people lives and get it done.

Religious freedom

There have been many attacks on our constitutional right to religious freedom. It is now common for schools, businesses and government agencies to discriminate against people of faith; this is wrong! I will always defend the Constitution and fight for everyone’s religious freedom.

Israel

Never is my lifetime have I seen such hate towards our friend in the Middle East, Israel. Both in Congress and in our Country, there is an anti-Sematic culture growing. One of our closest allies, I will always support Israel and stand up to hateful anti-Semitism that threatens our relationship with our good friend to the east.[2]

—Kevin Cookingham's campaign website (2020)[3]

See also


External links

Footnotes

  1. Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on January 8, 2020
  2. Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. Kevin Cookingham 2020 campaign website, “On the Issues,” accessed February 12, 2020


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