I came to Nunes Country this week to talk to folks about their representative, an ardent defender of President Trump who denigrates Democrats, the free press, the impeachment committees and anyone else who gets in Trump’s way. The 22nd Congressional District spans parts of Fresno and Tulare counties. In 2016, Trump won the district by 8.5 percentage points, but Democrats are making inroads. In 2018, Nunes’ margin of victory — 5 points — was his slimmest ever.
I would love to talk to Nunes, but he does not speak with reporters from most mainstream news organizations. “To be perfectly clear,” Nunes told a CNN reporter as he left one of the impeachment hearings, “I don’t acknowledge any questions from you in this lifetime or the next lifetime. I don’t acknowledge any question from you ever.”
On Thursday morning, I visited Reedley, a small farming town where my father was born. Christmas music was playing from speakers along G Street, the main drag. I met Carol Isaak and Beatrice Esparza. Both are Republicans and big supporters of both Nunes and Trump.
“Nunes handled himself professionally,” said Esparza, 57, who watched the impeachment hearings. “That Schiff guy is ridiculous.”