With Devin Nunes set to leave Congress, here’s the field of potential candidates so far
The list of potential candidates for the soon-vacant U.S. House District 22 seat began growing this week following the announcement incumbent Rep. Devin Nunes would retire and a potential special election hangs in uncertainty.
A Tulare Republican, Nunes said he would retire at the end the year. He made that announcement the same day he was named the chief executive officer of the Trump Media & Technology Group.
It’s up to Gov. Gavin Newsom to call for the special election but the clock to make that call does not start until Nunes is officially out of office.
Newsom announced a special election on Friday for the state’s 49th Assembly District, because he last month appointed Assemblymember Ed Chau to a judge seat in Los Angeles County Superior Court. That election is set for April with a primary in February.
In order to have a special election for Nunes, the governor must call for it within two weeks of the vacancy — not the announcement that he’ll retire. That puts a special election in the central San Joaquin Valley race likely in the summer.
The U.S. Constitution requires congressional seats be filled through elections so the 22nd District seat would need to be filled with a special election or remain empty until the 2022 midterm elections.
The candidates
Three Democrats who aren’t already in office have announced intentions to run — Phil Arballo, Eric Garcia and Lourin Hubbard — and did so before Nunes made his plans to retire public.
Arballo gave Nunes one of his toughest contests. Nunes routinely won by 20 points over his opponents for most of 18 years in office, but small business owner Arballo came within nine points in 2020. He’s raised more than $980,000, according to his campaign.
Garcia, who also ran against Nunes in 2020, has pulled in about $189,000 while Hubbard, who is new to politics, has about $42,000, according to records from the Federal Elections Commission.
The rest of the candidates have not reported any fundraising in the race through committees to the Federal Election Commission, according to records.
State Sen. Andreas Borgeas, R-Fresno, said Wednesday through a spokesperson he will run and opened up a fundraising committee.
Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig also said on Wednesday he will vie to replace Nunes.
Fresno City Councilmember Garry Bredefeld, a Republican, has said he’s looking at a potential run.
Assemblyman Devon Mathis, R-Visalia, and State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, D-Sanger, both tweeted they are watching to see how the new districts shape up before deciding whether to run.
