Valadao votes to support Trump megabill that will impact many of his constituents

Already a mature target for the Democrats in the next elections, the representative of Central Valley, David Valadao, has put his deeper political future this week by voting in favor of legislation which reduces coverage essential to about two -thirds of its voters.

Hanford’s republican dairy producer said that despite his concerns about President Trump’s megabill, he voted to support him because of the concessions he has helped to negotiate that will help his district, as an additional $ 25 billion for rural hospitals, $ 1 billion for Western water infrastructures and agricultural investments.

More than half a million residents of the Valadao district are covered by the program known in California under the name of Medi -Cal – the greatest number of all state districts – according to the UC Berkeley Labor Center. While preserving tax alternatives benefiting the rich, the bill adopted by a close republican majority both in the House and the Senate would reduce federal Medicaid expenses by $ 1.04 Billion of dollars over 10 years, according to estimates of the offices of the budget of the non -partisan congress.

Valadao said its voters would directly benefit from several provisions of the legislation, including the extension of tax alternatives, the elimination of taxes on advice and overtime, and the expansion of children’s tax credit.

“These are real victories that will put more money back in the pockets of working families throughout the valley,” he said. “No legislation is perfect, but this bill ultimately reflects the priorities of [my district] – Lower taxes, stronger farms, better infrastructure and a commitment to protect access to health care for residents of the valley. »»

The Democrats promised to use Valadao’s vote to drive him out of his duties during the 2026 elections. His district, which includes bands of counties in Kern, Kings and Tulare, is among the most competitive in the country.

Valadao has repeatedly promised to oppose legislation that would reduce health care for its voters, more recently on Monday, when he published on the X social media platform: “I was clear from the start that I will not support a final bill of final reconciliation which makes discharge to Medicaid, will put critical funding at risk, or threaten the stability of suppliers of suppliers Healthcare through its district.

After his vote on Thursday, Valadao said he had voted for the bill because he preserves Medicaid “for his planned beneficiaries – children, pregnant women, disabled and elderly”.

“David Valadao has just seal his fate by voting for a bill that will tear health care from tens of thousands of people in his district, where more than two-thirds of his voters are based on the very dull program,” said Anna Elsasser, spokesperson for the Democrat Congress campaign committee, in a press release. “He lied on their faces, then tried to sweep him under the carpet. We all knew that he would fold when it was the most important. It is without spin, it is dishonest, and next November, it will cost him his seat.”

A display panel proclaiming “David Valadao lied. He voted for intestant Medi-Cal, giving the CEOs a tax relief. We will pay with our lives ”was erected Thursday near Highway 99 in the Valadao district by fighting for our health, a non -profit coalition of health, labor, elderly, disability and other groups.

The Democrats also plan to target the representative Ken Calvert (R-Corona) and the representative Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills) for their support for the bill. Hundreds of demonstrators went down to the Kim Anaheim field on Tuesday to urge the deputy to oppose the legislation.

Trump’s proposal narrowly adopted the US Senate on Tuesday, vice-president JD Vance who voted due to the defection of three GOP senators who joined each Democrat to vote against.

The legislation will considerably revise the country’s tax code by carrying out tax reductions approved during the first permanent president’s mandate, a major advantage for companies and rich in the country, while reducing the financing of federal historical security programs, including Medicaid and the additional nutritional aid program, which helps provide food to low -income low -income Americans.

A CBO analysis published on Sunday estimated that the version of the Senate of the proposal would increase the national deficit by nearly $ 3.3 billions from $ 2025 to 2034 and would lead to 11.8 million Americans who lose health insurance in less than a decade.

The legislation has created a gap among the Republicans, some opposing the amount of money that this would add to the deficit while others express concerns about the impact of their voters. But in the end, the members of the Congress GOP set aside their differences to obtain the bill on the president’s office by the day of independence, as Trump wished.

During a marathon session which ended early Thursday morning, the members of the House of Representatives voted the 220-212 largely in the direction of the parties to approve a procedural rule which allows the legislation to be examined Thursday by the whole, a victory for the legislative leaders of Trump and the GOP.

Valadao’s vote in support of the procedural vote before midnight Wednesday raised the eyebrows, given the number of its voters who count on Medicaid, its previous will to oppose the concerns of Trump and the GOP to maintain control of its seat.

More than 40% of district voters are democrats, while 28.3% are republicans and 23.3% registered as no party preferences, according to the target book of non -partisan California, which handicaps the breeds of Congress.

Valadao, 48, served a mandate in the State Assembly before being elected at Congress in 2012. He was re -elected twice before losing narrowly in 2018. He resumed the headquarters in 2020.

He attracted the anger of his republican colleagues as one of the 10 members of the GOP congress who voted to dismiss Trump in 2021 after a violent crowd of supporters of the President took over the American Capitol in the aftermath of the president’s loss during the 2020 presidential election. However, Valadao did not face Trump as the others Date of the Congress member with the former president of the Kevin McCarthy Chamber of Bakersfield.

Governor Gavin Newsom told journalists on Wednesday that Valadao should leave his duties if he votes for the bill.

“This is the ultimate betrayal,” he said at a press conference in Burbank. “This is one of the most calamitite and devastating invoices in our life.”

Newsom predicted that if the bill is adopted, hospitals will close, Californians will lose access to health care and food coupons, and student loans will increase.

Valadao “could also resign early and I can call a special election, if he supports it,” said Newsom. “What basis do you have about confidence in your own district if you betray your own district to an extraordinary and extraordinary degree. It is one of the poorest districts in the country. ”