Republican Congressman David Valadao is seeking another term to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District, ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. While he will be competing against Democratic nominee Randy Villegas, healthcare, agriculture, economy and immigration have taken center stage in his campaign. Valadao secured his place after receiving 40.7% of the votes in California’s June primary, finishing ahead of his Democratic challengers Randy Villegas and Jasmeet Bains. If re-elected, he would win a seventh term as an incumbent.
Valadao began his political career in 2010 after winning a seat in the California State Assembly, where he served as vice-chair of the Agriculture Committee. In 2012, he was elected to the US House of Representatives in order to represent California’s 21st Congressional District. He served three terms but lost re-election in 2018. He returned to Congress after winning the 2020 election. A member of the House Appropriations Committee, he is one of the few Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump in 2021.
From dairy farming to politics
David Goncalves Valadao was born on April 14, 1977, in Hanford, California. Of Azorean-Portuguese descent, he is a lifelong dairy farmer. His father established a dairy farming business and Valadao helped him with farm work and daily chores. His upbringing in the agricultural community of Kings County shaped his understanding of the challenges faced by farmers and rural families.
Valadao attended local schools in Hanford and graduated from Hanford High School in 1995. He later attended the College of the Sequoias in Visalia, California but didn’t complete his degree. He chose to remain involved in his family’s agricultural business. Along with his work as a farmer and business owner, Valadao became involved in agricultural organisations like the California Milk Advisory Board and the Western States Dairy Trade Association. Valadao married his high school girlfriend, Terra, in 1999. The couple has three children named Connor, Madeline and Lucas. He continues to live in Hanford, California.
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Key issues, policies and initiatives
Drawing upon his experience as a dairy farmer, agriculture has been central to Valadao’s campaign. He has advocated for policies to support farmers and ranchers, improve access to irrigation water and strengthen the region’s agricultural economy. In September 2026, Valadao introduced the bipartisan Rooting Out Mislabelled Agriculture (ROMA) Act to strengthen transparency in agricultural imports and address the illegal mislabelling of imported products. He also called to improve the water infrastructure, including federal funding for the Friant-Kern Canal.
He has presented healthcare as another integral part of his campaign. He advocated for lowering healthcare costs, while maintaining access to care for various disadvantaged groups. He calls to strengthen rural hospitals and expand access to healthcare services in California’s Central Valley. In 2025, Valadao voted in favour of President Donald Trump’s budget reconciliation bill, arguing it would protect vulnerable beneficiaries and provide additional funding for rural hospitals.
Additionally, Valadao has backed certain public safety initiatives. In October 2026, President Trump signed his bipartisan Romance Scam Prevention Act. This law requires dating apps to notify users who have interacted with someone removed from the platform for committing fraud activities. He also co-sponsored the 988 Crisis Response Act, which aims to fund mobile mental health crisis teams and support 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline call centres.
Valadao on immigration and the economy
As a son of Portuguese immigrants himself, he supports providing a pathway to legal status for eligible immigrants. He believes that this can “keep our economy moving” and “make it easier to bring costs down”. At the same time, Valadao has backed stricter border enforcement, including the Secure the Border Act of 2023. He also called to change the current immigration system in order to focus on those who have committed violent crimes, instead of those who are working to support their families.
He went on to include issues like trade and tariffs in his campaign because California’s Central Valley depends heavily on agricultural exports. In February 2026, he introduced the bipartisan Specialty Crops Reporting on Opportunities and Promotion Act with Democratic Representative Suzanne Bonamici. This bill aims to identify trade barriers like tariffs and strict labelling that can ultimately hinder trade practices. He argues that removing these trade barriers will help American farmers compete in international markets. He also called for creating more jobs in California’s Central Valley, as well as supporting the reduction of taxes and government regulations on small businesses. He has always stressed upon the importance of agriculture as it provides employment to many people in the region.
Position on the Iran war and technology
Valadao backed the US action on Iran, arguing that Iran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons can pose a direct threat to global security. However, in 2026, Valadao voted against a resolution that called for US forces to withdraw from hostilities with Iran unless Congress authorized military action. The resolution aimed to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to continue military action without congressional approval.
Beyond the Iran conflict, Valadao has supported using artificial intelligence to make government services faster and more efficient. In 2025, he reintroduced the Modernizing All Veterans and Survivors Claims Processing Act, which aims to help veterans receive their benefits faster by using technology. This bill was passed unanimously in September 2025.
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Controversies and conflicts
David Valadao faced criticism in 2025 after voting in favour of President Donald Trump’s budget reconciliation bill, which included cuts to Medicaid. The decision drew opposition from Democrats and healthcare advocates, who warned that the changes could affect access to healthcare for low income families and rural communities. Valadao defended his vote, saying he had helped secure more funding for rural hospitals. However, protesters gathered outside his Bakersfield office to oppose the Medicaid cuts, while Democrats criticised his decision.
Valadao also faced scrutiny from his fellow Republicans after voting to impeach Trump in January 2021 over the January 6 attack on the US Capitol. He was one of 10 House Republicans who supported impeachment, arguing that Trump played a central role in the events that led to the attack. However, Valadao defended his vote, saying “I have to go with my gut and vote my conscience”.
Net worth and more
According to a 2018 Los Angeles Times analysis, he had an estimated net worth of -$17.5 million. However, his 2020 financial disclosure reported no liabilities after the family farm went bankrupt. In 2026, Valadao and Villegas raised $11.5 million for the race, with Valadao bringing nearly $6.1 million.
Despite facing criticism from both Democrats and Republicans at different points in his career, Valadao continues to seek re-election to represent California’s 22nd Congressional District in the US House.
-By Tanisha Sharma