Already a ripe goal for Democrats within the subsequent election, Central Valley Rep. David Valadao put his political future in deeper peril this week by voting in favor of laws that slashes the Medicaid protection important to roughly two-thirds of his constituents.
The Republican dairy farmer from Hanford stated that regardless of his issues about President Trump’s megabill, he voted to assist it due to concessions he helped negotiate that may assist his district, equivalent to an extra $25 billion for rural hospitals, $1 billion for Western water infrastructure and agricultural investments.
Greater than a half-million residents in Valadao’s district are coated by this system identified in California as Medi-Cal — probably the most of any district within the state — in response to the UC Berkeley Labor Heart. Whereas preserving tax breaks benefiting the rich, the invoice handed by slender Republican majorities in each the Home and Senate would scale back federal Medicaid spending by $1.04 trillion over 10 years, in response to the nonpartisan Congressional Funds Workplace.
Valadao stated his constituents would immediately profit from a number of provisions within the laws, together with the extension of the tax breaks, the elimination of taxes on ideas and extra time, and the growth of the kid tax credit score.
“These are actual wins that may put extra money again within the pockets of hardworking households all through the Valley,” he stated. “No piece of laws is ideal, however this invoice in the end displays the priorities of [my district] — decrease taxes, stronger farms, higher infrastructure, and a dedication to defending entry to healthcare for Valley residents.”
Democrats vowed to make use of Valadao’s vote to oust him from workplace within the 2026 election. His district, which incorporates swaths of Kern, Kings and Tulare counties, is among the many best within the nation.
Valadao has repeatedly vowed to oppose laws that may lower healthcare for his constituents, most just lately on Monday when he posted on the social media platform X: “I’ve been clear from the beginning that I can’t assist a ultimate reconciliation invoice that makes dangerous cuts to Medicaid, places crucial funding in danger, or threatens the steadiness of healthcare suppliers throughout” his district.
After his vote on Thursday, Valadao stated that he voted for the invoice as a result of it preserves Medicaid “for its meant recipients — kids, pregnant ladies, the disabled, and aged.”
“David Valadao simply sealed his destiny by voting for a invoice that may rip well being care away from tens of 1000’s in his district, the place greater than two-thirds of his constituents depend on the very program he’s gutting,” stated Anna Elsasser, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Marketing campaign Committee, in a press release. “He lied to their faces, after which tried to comb it below the rug. All of us knew he’d fold when it mattered most. It’s spineless, it’s dishonest, and subsequent November, it’s going to price him his seat.”
A billboard proclaiming “David Valadao Lied. He voted to intestine Medi-Cal, giving CEOs a tax break. We’ll pay with our lives” was erected Thursday close to State Route 99 in Valadao’s district by Battle for Our Well being, a nonprofit coalition of well being, labor, senior, incapacity and different teams.
Gilbert Garcia, 68, of Bakersfield warned that the approaching cuts “can be completely devastating.”
The retired grant author for a nonprofit that serves adults with developmental disabilities is a member of the California Alliance for Retired People and lives in Valadao’s district.
“With the cuts which are happening, I believe community-based applications are simply going to dissolve, which suggests these people and all of the applications and workers related to them will disappear off the map,” he stated.
He additionally frightened that the only trauma middle within the area, which saved his 10-year-old son’s life greater than three many years in the past, will doubtless be shuttered due to the laws.
In crucial conditions, folks “have minutes to achieve a trauma middle that has the gear to have the ability to stabilize them and hold them alive,” Garcia stated. “There’s no time to get to L.A. There’s no time to get to Fresno. Individuals can be lifeless on arrival.”
Democrats additionally plan on concentrating on Reps. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) and Younger Kim (R-Anaheim Hills) for his or her assist of the invoice. A whole bunch of protesters descended on Kim’s Anaheim discipline workplace on Tuesday to induce the congresswoman to oppose the laws.
Trump’s proposal narrowly handed the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, with Vice President JD Vance casting a tiebreaking vote due to the defection of three GOP senators who joined each Democrat in voting in opposition to it.
The laws will dramatically overhaul the nation’s tax code by making tax cuts accepted through the president’s first time period everlasting, a serious profit to firms and the nation’s rich, whereas slashing funding for historic federal safety-net applications together with Medicaid and the Supplemental Diet Help Program, which helps present meals to low-income People.
A CBO evaluation launched Sunday estimated that the Senate model of the proposal would enhance the nationwide deficit by almost $3.3 trillion from 2025 to 2034 and would end in 11.8 million People dropping medical insurance in lower than a decade.
The laws created a rift amongst Republicans, with some opposing the sum of money it will add to the deficit whereas others expressing issues about how it will affect their constituents. However in the end, GOP members of Congress put apart their variations to get the invoice on the president’s desk by the Fourth of July, as Trump desired.
In a marathon session that ended early Thursday morning, members of the Home of Representatives voted 220 to 212 — largely alongside celebration traces — to approve a procedural rule that allowed the laws to be thought-about by the complete physique, a victory for Trump and GOP legislative leaders.
Valadao’s vote in assist of the procedural vote earlier than midnight Wednesday raised eyebrows, given the variety of his constituents who depend on Medicaid, his earlier willingness to oppose Trump and GOP issues about holding onto management of his seat.
Cal State Fresno political science professor Tom Holyoke famous that the one time Valadao misplaced reelection to Congress was in 2018, the midterm election in Trump’s first time period.
Democrats have been concentrating on Valadao’s district for a number of election cycles due to the celebration’s voter registration benefit within the area. His vote “definitely provides the Democrats one thing to run on, which they haven’t fairly had prior to now,” Holyoke stated. “Particularly since Valadao stated he was going to vote in opposition to the invoice after which voted for it.”
Greater than 40% of the district’s voters are Democrats, whereas 28.3% are Republicans and 23.3% registered as having no celebration choice, in response to the nonpartisan California Goal E book, which handicaps congressional races.
Valadao, 48, served one time period within the state Meeting previous to being elected to Congress in 2012. He was reelected twice earlier than narrowly dropping reelection in 2018. He retook the seat in 2020.
He drew the ire of fellow Republicans as considered one of 10 GOP members of Congress who voted to question Trump in 2021 after a violent mob of the president’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol within the aftermath of the president’s loss within the 2020 presidential election. Nevertheless, Valadao didn’t face the identical retribution from Trump that the others did, reportedly due to the congressman’s long-standing relationship with former Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday informed reporters that Valadao ought to depart workplace if he votes for the invoice.
“It’s the last word betrayal,” he stated throughout a information convention in Burbank. “This is among the most calamitous and devastating payments of our lifetime.”
Newsom predicted that if the invoice handed, hospitals would shut, Californians would lose entry to healthcare and meals stamps, and scholar loans would enhance.
Valadao “may as nicely resign early and I can name a particular election, if he helps it,” Newsom stated. “What foundation do you’ve got of belief in your personal district in the event you would betray your personal constituency to such a rare, extraordinary diploma. It’s one of many poorest districts within the nation.”
