David Valadao's South Valley district targeted by Prop 50

CENTRAL VALLEY, Calif. (KFSN) -- With the Central Valley home to a third of the state's nine Republicans in Congress, experts say the region is a critical part of Democrats' plan to redistrict the state.

There are a handful of districts that are really the main pieces of this strategy," UC Merced Political Science Professor Nate Monroe said.

He said District 22 in the South Valley has been carefully redesigned under Proposition 50.

"This redistricting plan will shift some of the Republican precincts in Tulare and Kings County in that southern part of the district out of the seat and now pick up in its place some of the urban, more Democratic heavy precincts that are in the Fresno metro area," Monroe said.

On paper, Republicans would still hold an edge over Democrats based on the 2024 presidential election results. However, the GOP's margin would shrink from 5.8 percent to 1.8 percent, tightening the race for incumbent David Valadao in next year's midterms.

"Is this race likely to be competitive enough still that he could win it? Sure," Monroe said. "But is it going to be a steeper hill to climb? No doubt."

Action News spoke with Valadao's constituents, voters in Kings County.

"No redistricting," Adalina said.

Every voter Action News talked with said they are against Prop 50.

Governor Newsom and Democrats argue it is necessary after President Donald Trump asked Texas to add Republican seats.

But Brandon in Hanford feels California's districts are already out of touch, comparing them to Maine and Massachusetts.

"Their seats are pure liberal, but then their population is 40 percent Republican," Brandon said. "So I don't understand that their representation can be so mismatched."

Monroe says districts are a balance between demographics and geography.

"Naively saying, 'Well, there's more Republicans registered in California than anywhere else (and) there should be a lot more seats,' well, that sort of ignores the size of California," Monroe said.

Congressman David Valadao did not respond to Action News' previous request for comment on Prop 50.

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