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Valadao, Republican representative of California, caused controversy due to his support of cutting white card benefits. Facing opposition from his opponents and voters, he sought re-election in a more Democratic district.
National Public Radio (NPR) reported on the 22nd,republican party Commonwealth of CaliforniaRepresentative David Valadao voted for “big American legislation” to remove the claimwhite card The federal Medicaid program (Medicaid) benefits cover approximately 62% of the constituency’s population, and the re-election results have attracted much attention. Following the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, of the current Republican House members who voted to impeach President Trump, Valadao is the only one still running for re-election.
Ulises Hernandez, a voter who lives in Bakersfield, California, said Valadao, who has received health insurance through the white card program for many years, should be ashamed of voting in support of the elimination of white card benefits. It was decided to vote for Valadao’s challenger in this election, Randy Villegas, a political science professor who advocates “Medicare for All”.
Valadao defended in a televised debate on 6 October that the white card program had not in fact been reduced.
Since being elected to Congress in 2012, Valadao has always maintained a double-digit lead in the percentage of registered Democrats over registered Republicans in the district he represents, but Valadao has won six of the seven elections.
Jeffrey Cummins, a political science professor at California State University, Fresno, said Valadau’s path to victory is to focus on local issues like water infrastructure and distance herself from the Trump administration.
Cummins said that although the Democratic Party appears to be gaining in the district represented by Valadao, voters are generally liberal Democrats who care about agricultural issues, and Valadao has always been liked by voters.
However, when California’s congressional districts were redrawn last year, Valadao became more Democratic than ever. Cummins said a different mix of voters, combined with voter anger against current officials, could flip Valadao’s seat. “Valadao already understands that the situation is not good.”
The only time Valadao lost an election was in 2018, when he aligned with Trump and voted in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA), commonly known as the “European Health Care Act.”
Figures from market research agency AdImpact show both parties have spent more than 16 million yuan on campaign advertisements in the Valadao constituency in the run up to voting day. Cummins said that for this constituency, if the total election expenditure exceeds 10 million, it is really too high.
Summary FAQ
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He supports “big American legislation” to cut white card welfare, and approximately 62% of his constituency’s population is dependent on or affected by it, which directly impacts many voters. Moreover, he is one of the few Republicans who have defected to impeach Trump, and the political situation is even more sensitive.
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Hernandez, a voter who lives in Bakersfield, said she has relied on the white card for medical treatment for several years. He believes Valadao should be ashamed and support challenger Villegas who advocates “universal federal health insurance.”
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Political scientists pointed out that he has long focused on local issues such as water conservation and has deliberately distanced himself from the Trump administration to attract moderate Democratic voters who care about agriculture and pragmatic policies. That’s why he has retained his seat many times.
