Randy Villegas, a political scientist and Democrat, won the race for California’s 22nd Congressional District, The Associated Press reported, ousting Rep. David Valadao and flipping a crucial political battleground.

A tenacious incumbent and moderate Republican who voted to impeach President Donald Trump, Valadao had survived nearly all past attempts to extricate him from his seat in the Central Valley.

Still, Democrats viewed him as distinctly vulnerable this year because of several factors. Voters in the impoverished region have been hit hard by economic challenges and healthcare cuts, and fears over immigration raids have unnerved the area. A redistricting effort led by Democrats also redrew the boundaries of his district to make it more favorable to their party.

Villegas, a progressive who voiced his support for Medicare for All and campaigned alongside Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is not the typical “Valleycrat” — a moderate to conservative Democrat from the Central Valley — that the party often runs in this traditionally Republican part of California.

He faced intense skepticism from establishment Democrats, who feared that his left-wing background would alienate swing voters and who backed a more moderate candidate in the primary. Indeed, Republicans blasted Villegas for his progressive ties and said he was not the right fit for the district.

But voters ultimately looked past those attacks. His victory bolstered the left-wing argument that populist policies could appeal to working-class voters across the political spectrum.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By: Kellen Browning/Kenny Holston
c. 2026 The New York Times Company