2026 California's 22nd Congressional District Election
Compare candidates’ positions, polling, and sourced race updates.
About this race
This race is for California's 22nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives, a Bakersfield- and Hanford-centered Central Valley seat that Democrats view as a must-win in their bid to retake the chamber. Incumbent Republican David Valadao, a dairy farmer first elected in 2012 who has repeatedly overperformed in the district, faces Democratic nominee Randy Villegas, a College of the Sequoias political science professor and Visalia school board trustee who advanced past establishment-backed Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains in the June 2, 2026 top-two primary.
The contest, reshaped by Proposition 50 redistricting, has drawn national attention: Inside Elections shifted its rating toward Democrats in early October, House Speaker Mike Johnson rallied for Valadao in Bakersfield while Bernie Sanders rallied for Villegas, and the two candidates are scheduled to meet in a televised debate on October 6.
Valadao holds a large cash advantage — roughly $3.4 million on hand versus about $572,000 for Villegas as of late September — while public polling remains scant.
Candidates
Tick Compare on two or more cards to see them side by side.
David Valadao is the incumbent Republican U.S. representative for California's 22nd Congressional District. A Hanford dairy farmer and former California state assemblymember, he previously represented a Central Valley district in Congress from 2013 to 2019 and returned to the House in 2021. In the 2026 cycle he has emphasized his congressional record and local federal investments, and in late September he campaigned in Bakersfield alongside House Speaker Mike Johnson ahead of an October 6 televised debate with Democratic challenger Randy Villegas.
Randy Villegas is the Democratic nominee for California's 22nd Congressional District, a political science professor at College of the Sequoias and a trustee on the Visalia Unified School District board. A Bakersfield native and son of Mexican immigrants, he advanced past establishment-backed Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains in the June 2, 2026 top-two primary to challenge incumbent Republican David Valadao. His progressive campaign, backed by Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, emphasizes affordable health care, labor rights, public education funding, and opposition to corporate PAC influence, and he is scheduled to debate Valadao on October 6.
Forecast
Randy Villegas favored
Randy Villegas: 76% modeled win probability with a +4.5 pts estimated margin
Polling
1 poll, newest firstAbout this research
Data compiled from public sources and analyzed using AI. Last updated October 10, 2026. Visit candidate websites for the most current information.