David Valadao

Early life, education, and farming career

Valadao was born and raised in Hanford, California. His parents are Portuguese immigrants. He graduated from Hanford High School in 1995, and attended the College of the Sequoias in Visalia. He currently serves as the managing partner of Valadao Dairy, which he owns with his brothers. He has also been a member of the California Milk Advisory Board, Western States Dairy Trade Association, and Regional Leadership Council Chairman for Land O' Lakes.

In August 2014, the United States Chamber of Commerce awarded Valadao its Spirit of Enterprise Award. Valadao won the same award again less than two years later, in a 2016. Valadao was the poorest member of Congress in 2014, with over $12 million in loans to his family's dairy farm.

2010 election

Valadao announced his candidacy for California's 30th State Assembly district following the retirement of Republican Assemblyman Danny Gilmore in 2010. He defeated Stephanie Campbell in the Republican primary 78%–22%. In the general election, he defeated Shafter Mayor Fran Florez 61%–39%.

Committee assignments

2012

Valadao announced in August 2011 that he would seek the Republican nomination for California's 21st congressional district. The district had previously been the 20th District, represented by four-term Democrat Jim Costa. However, redistricting had shifted most of the district's share of Fresno to the new 16th District, and Costa sought reelection there.

In the June 5 open primary, he ranked first with 57% of the vote, ahead of Democrat John Hernandez – the head of the local Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – and Fresno city councilman Blong Xiong. In the November 6 election, he defeated Hernandez by a margin of 58%–42%. His campaign victory in a district that had long been held by Democrats was cited in an op-ed article in The Wall Street Journal as a potential template for the GOP, while other analysts cited his opponent's "weakness as a candidate and a campaigner" as playing a major role.

2014

Valadao ran for reelection in November 2014. His challengers were Democrat Amanda Renteria, a former political aide for Dianne Feinstein and Debbie Stabenow, and John Hernandez, the Democratic nominee whom he defeated in 2012. In the June 3 primary, he ranked first once again with 63% of the vote, and received majorities of 60% or higher in every county except for Kern. In the November 4 general election, Valadao won reelection to his second term with 58% of the vote.

2016

Valadao ran for reelection to a third term in November 2016. His first challenger was Democrat Daniel Parra, the Mayor pro tem of Fowler, California. Another Democratic challenger was Connie Perez, an accountant in Pasadena, California, who grew up in Tulare; however, due to issues regarding her residency outside of the district, as well as an alleged recent change in party affiliation, Perez dropped out less than a month after announcing her candidacy. In January 2016, Emilio Huerta, son of United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores Huerta, announced his candidacy for the race as a Democrat. In the primary on June 7, Valadao once again came in first with 58.2% of the vote, while Parra finished narrowly ahead of Huerta. However, in the following days, enough absentee ballots came in to allow Huerta to overtake Parra, with 24.2% to Parra's 21.8%, while Valadao's vote total fell to 54%. In the general election, Valadao won reelection with 56.7% of the vote to Huerta's 43.3%.

Committee assignments

Caucus memberships

Controversy

In July 2013, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed an ethics complaint against Valadao for allegedly failing to disclose the impact that his opposition to proposed high-speed rail routes would have on the value of Valadao Dairy properties. In November 2013, the Office of Congressional Ethics voted 6–0 to recommend that the House Ethics Committee dismiss the allegation "because there is not a substantial reason to believe that a violation of House rules and standards of conduct occurred". In February 2014, the House Ethics Committee formally dismissed the complaint.

Political positions

He has voted with his party in 97% of votes so far in the current session of Congress and voted in line with President Trump's position in 100% of the votes. Despite this, for the 114th United States Congress, Valadao was ranked as the 42nd most bipartisan member of the U.S. House of Representatives (and the third most bipartisan member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California) in the Bipartisan Index created by The Lugar Center and the McCourt School of Public Policy that ranks members of the United States Congress by their degree of bipartisanship (by measuring the frequency each member's bills attract co-sponsors from the opposite party and each member's co-sponsorship of bills by members of the opposite party).

Abortion

Valadao opposes abortion. He has a 100% rating by National Right to Life Committee, an anti-abortion advocacy group.

Donald Trump and the 2016 Presidential election

Valadao expressed support for Donald Trump from October 2015 to May 2016 but rescinded his support in June 2016 for undisclosed reasons.

In February 2017, he voted against a resolution that would have directed the House to request 10 years of Trump's tax returns, which would then have been reviewed by the House Ways and Means Committee in a closed session.

Environment

Valadao opposes federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions.

Valadao rejects that climate change has anything to do with the drought that California has been experiencing since 2011, blaming "environmental regulations" for it instead. Jay Famiglietti, senior water scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, says that Valadao is incorrect.

Food stamps

In 2013, Valadao was one of just 15 House Republicans to vote against a Republican-backed bill "that makes deep cuts in food stamp spending."

Government shutdown

In September 2013, in response to threats of a government shutdown over defunding of the Affordable Care Act, Valadao cosponsored the Government Shutdown Fairness Act, which would prevent all members of Congress from receiving their salaries if a shutdown occurred.

Healthcare

Valadao is in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act. On May 4, 2017, Valadao voted to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Valadao said, "The American Health Care Act will stabilize our health-care system, ensuring our community has access to high quality, affordable health care." Valadao stated that one aspect of AHCA that he liked was $8 billion in funding over five years to help insure those with preexisting conditions in so-called "high-risk pools". However, healthcare experts doubt that the funding for high-risk pools is sufficient to protect individuals with preexisting conditions. The revised version of AHCA allows states to get waivers to allow insurers to charge individuals with preexisting conditions more.

Immigration

Valadao has publicly fought for comprehensive immigration reform. In August 2014, Valadao broke ranks with the Republican Party and voted against a bill that would have dismantled the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

LGBT rights

Valadao opposes same-sex marriage.

He has a 0% rating by Equality California, an LGBT rights advocacy group.

Electoral history

California's 30th State Assembly district, 2010 (Republican primary):

California's 30th State Assembly district, 2010

California's 21st congressional district, 2012 (Republican primary):

California's 21st congressional district, 2012:

California's 21st congressional district, 2014 (Republican primary):

California's 21st congressional district, 2014:

California's 21st congressional district, 2016 (Republican primary):

California's 21st congressional district, 2016:

Personal life

Valadao lives in Hanford with his wife, Terra, and their three children.