U.S. House, California 22nd Congressional District · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in California's 22nd Congressional District?
David G. Valadao has the strongest record in California's 22nd Congressional District. David G. Valadao scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Randy Villegas at 58, as of October 9, 2026. David G. Valadao's highest marks are courage and relevant experience. Randy Villegas's highest marks are accountability and relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Republican · incumbent
Strongest record
David G. Valadao
73 / 100
Public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 63
- Qualifications
- 80
- Performance
- 75
Democratic
Randy Villegas
58 / 100
Public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 56
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- NR
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
David G. Valadao
- On the record2026-05
Declined KGET's televised CA-22 primary debate in May 2026 and did not attend the primary-season candidate forums, per Fresnoland.
Source: Fresnoland, May 15, 2026
- On the record2019-02
In February 2019 he and his wife filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy for Triple V Dairy, Triple V Cattle and Valadao Dairy, listing $208,500 in assets and $13.64 million in liabilities and a pending Rabobank action.
Source: The Business Journal (Fresno), March 1, 2019 (archived copy)
- On the record2018-03-28
Rabobank sued his family's Triple V Dairy in November 2017 over $8.3 million in loans, naming him; the parties agreed March 28, 2018 to give the bank control of the farm.
- Credit2026
Voted Yea in 2026 to override two presidential vetoes and to pass the ROTOR Act when Majority Leader Scalise and Whip Emmer voted Nay.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 8, 2026, House Clerk Roll Call 72, 2026, ROTOR Act
- Credit2021-01-13
Voted Yea on Jan. 13, 2021 to impeach President Trump, one of 10 House Republicans, and survived a 2022 primary challenge from a Republican who campaigned against that vote.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 17, Jan. 13, 2021, Los Angeles Times via Yahoo News, June 26, 2022, The Fresno Bee via Yahoo News
Randy Villegas
- Credit2026-05
Appeared at the May 2, 2026 Radio Bilingue forum and accepted KGET's televised primary debate, which his two opponents declined, per Fresnoland.
Source: Fresnoland, May 15, 2026
- Credit2025-08-13
Received the American Political Science Association's 2025 Community College Faculty Award, announced Aug. 13, 2025.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
David G. Valadao. Annual financial disclosure for 2025 is on file with the House Clerk, filed May 15, 2026. No House Ethics Committee matter or FEC administrative fine found; the Clerk index lists no periodic transaction reports for him.
Sources: House Clerk financial disclosure, Filing ID 10075195, House Committee on Ethics site search for Valadao, FEC administrative fines search
Randy Villegas. House candidate financial disclosures were filed in 2025 and on Aug. 7, 2026, and campaign reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine found.
Sources: House Clerk candidate financial disclosure, Filing ID 10081438, FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
David G. Valadao. One of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Trump in January 2021, which drew a 2022 primary challenge he narrowly survived. In 2025 and 2026 he voted against his leadership on bills including the Protect America's Workforce Act.
Sources: House Clerk Roll Call 17, Jan. 13, 2021, impeachment, Los Angeles Times via Yahoo News, June 26, 2022, The Fresno Bee via Yahoo News, House Clerk Roll Call 332, 2025, Protect America's Workforce Act
Randy Villegas. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
David G. Valadao. No public record found.
Randy Villegas. Attended the primary-season candidate forums, including a May 2, 2026 Radio Bilingue forum, and accepted KGET's televised debate, which Valadao and Bains declined, per Fresnoland.
Source: Fresnoland, May 15, 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
David G. Valadao. Served in the Assembly from 2010 to 2012 and in the House from 2013 to 2019 and since 2021. No censure, reprimand or House Ethics Committee matter found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, David Valadao, House Committee on Ethics site search for Valadao
Randy Villegas. Visalia Unified School District trustee since December 2021 and a political science professor at College of the Sequoias. No formal conduct finding found.
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
David G. Valadao. Has held sworn state and federal office since 2010. He is not on the January 2021 objection roll calls and not on the Texas v. Pennsylvania House amicus list; no misuse-of-office finding found.
Sources: Ballotpedia, David Valadao, House Clerk Roll Call 17, Jan. 13, 2021
Randy Villegas. Has held sworn local office as a Visalia Unified trustee since December 2021. No misuse-of-office finding found.
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
David G. Valadao. In the U.S. House from 2013 to 2019 and since 2021, after a term in the California Assembly.
Randy Villegas. Appointed to the Visalia Unified board in December 2021, stood for election in 2022 and still serves; teaches political science at College of the Sequoias.
Sources: Valley Voice, Sept. 15, 2022, Fresnoland, May 15, 2026
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
David G. Valadao. Chairs the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch and sponsored the enacted Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026; also on the Agriculture Committee.
Sources: GovTrack, committee membership, GovTrack, H.R. 4249 (119th Congress)
Randy Villegas. Lists campaign issues including cost of living, health care, jobs, immigration, housing, corruption, education, environment, foreign policy and artificial intelligence, mostly in general terms.
Source: Campaign site, Issues
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
David G. Valadao. Offers an e-newsletter, text alerts and issue pages. Has not completed Ballotpedia's 2026 survey.
Randy Villegas. Completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2026, publishes issue pages and appeared at public candidate forums.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Randy Villegas, Campaign site, Issues, Fresnoland, May 15, 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
David G. Valadao. Born in Hanford and a Hanford High School graduate who lives in Hanford. FEC by-state totals for 2025 to 2026 show about 34 percent of itemized individual contributions from California.
Sources: Ballotpedia, David Valadao, The Fresno Bee via Yahoo News, FEC contribution totals by state, Senate Office of Demographics, Congressional District 22 (2025) place table
Randy Villegas. Raised in Kern County and a Visalia school trustee. KGET reports he lives in Visalia, which the official Prop 50 place tables put wholly in CD-20 and CD-21; no official residence record found. FEC: about 60 percent in-state.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Randy Villegas, Campaign site, About, FEC contribution totals by state, KGET 17, The race for District 22, Senate Office of Demographics, Congressional District 20 (2025) place table, Senate Office of Demographics, Congressional District 21 (2025) place table
Management
Can build and run an organization.
David G. Valadao. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
Randy Villegas. Campaign committee reports are on file with the FEC through June 30, 2026. No FEC administrative fine record found.
Sources: FEC candidate page, FEC administrative fines search
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
David G. Valadao. Legislative Effectiveness Score of 1.481 in the 118th Congress against a benchmark of 1.194, meets expectations. Sponsored the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026, enacted through H.R. 5371.
Sources: Center for Effective Lawmaking House dataset, 93rd to 118th Congress, GovTrack, enacted legislation, GovTrack, H.R. 4249 (119th Congress)
Randy Villegas. No public record found.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
David G. Valadao. Missed 88 of 6,646 roll call votes, 1.3 percent, from January 2013 to September 2026.
Source: GovTrack, missed votes
Randy Villegas. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
David G. Valadao. Lists district offices in Bakersfield and Hanford. No published casework totals found.
Source: Office site, home page
Randy Villegas. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
David G. Valadao. Lugar Center Bipartisan Index score of 0.81630 in the latest posted House scores (118th Congress, 2023), ranked 38 of 436, in the top quarter.
Source: Lugar Center and McCourt School Bipartisan Index, House Scores
Randy Villegas. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
David G. Valadao. No public record found.
Randy Villegas. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in California's 22nd Congressional District?
David G. Valadao has the strongest record in California's 22nd Congressional District. David G. Valadao scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Randy Villegas at 58, as of October 9, 2026. David G. Valadao's highest marks are courage and relevant experience. Randy Villegas's highest marks are accountability and relevant experience. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in California's 22nd Congressional District in 2026?
David G. Valadao (Republican, incumbent), Randy Villegas (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is David G. Valadao a good candidate for Congress?
David G. Valadao scores 73 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 13 of 15 criteria: character 63 of 100, qualifications 80 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Randy Villegas a good candidate for Congress?
Randy Villegas scores 58 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 9 of 15 criteria: character 56 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance no record. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every California race scored, the trailing candidate's path to victory, and the California 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.