Fresno Rep. Jim Costa gets scolded for Trump-friendly vote. What’s gotten into him? | Opinion
What’s gotten into Rep. Jim Costa lately?
Fresno’s longtime congressman, who turns 73 next month, is on a feisty streak. His recent votes, official statements and social media posts are more spirited and conspicuous than usual.
Now in his 11th two-year term on Capitol Hill following 24 years in Sacramento – an uninterrupted run of public service and election victories that dates to 1978 – Costa is a paradigm for measured, mild-mannered politicians.
The conservative-ish Democrat doesn’t say anything rash or controversial, doesn’t do anything rash or controversial, very seldom casts rash or controversial votes, and generally maintains a low national profile.
Costa blew his own cover Wednesday by being one of 10 Democrats who joined the House’s slim Republican majority in voting to censure Rep. Al Green of Texas, who was ejected from the chamber for interrupting and heckling President Trump during Tuesday’s state of the union address. The resolution passed 224 to 198.
The 10 Democratic defectors were harshly criticized for their Trump-friendly votes on social media and from progressive groups. Including one called Indivisible, whose co-executive director Ezra Levin labeled them “cowardly and unacceptable.”
“Rep. Green had the spine to call out Trump’s blatant lies,” Levin said. “That’s the kind of Democratic leadership we need — not tone-policing, not pearl-clutching, and certainly not pretending this is a normal presidency.”
Costa’s X account got bombarded with negative replies (the parlance is “getting ratioed”), and a thread entitled “Jim Costa’s political career in Fresno has to end” appeared on Reddit.com. In response, the congressman released a statement saying he agrees with Green that Trump doesn’t have a mandate for his wrecking-ball approach to reduce government spending but disagrees over “disruptions during official proceedings of the United States Congress.”
“We need to focus instead on the President’s distortions of the facts,” Costa added. “As Democrats, our focus should remain on the critical issues that matter to the American people.”
Speaking of those, Costa also helped Trump get a legislative win as part of his administration’s broader crackdown on illegal immigration by supporting the Laken Riley Act. The new law directs federal agents to detain undocumented people accused, arrested or convicted not only of violent offenses but also relatively minor ones such as “burglary, theft, larceny, or shoplifting.”
Costa was among six California Democrats and 46 overall to vote “yes” on the hardline policy including fellow San Joaquin Valley congress members Rep. Adam Gray and Rep. Josh Harder.
Sharp rebukes of Trump policies
While aligned with the Trump administration and Republicans on those particular votes, Costa’s recent press releases and social media posts tell a different story.
The first sign of a more feisty, spirited Costa came after the Border Patrol began conducting immigration raids in Kern County and elsewhere in the Valley. Costa provided local media with the best information about ongoing sweeps and criticized the mass deportations of undocumented residents.
“Breaking families up is not the American way,” Costa said at a Jan. 11 press conference in southeast Fresno. “And spreading fear to hard-working people who are contributing every day ... is not the way to deal with fixing our border.”
For Costa, who isn’t known for an economy of words, that qualifies as succinct.
On Jan. 23, after Trump mass pardoned the 1,500 criminals and clowns that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Costa sounded as impassioned as you’ll ever hear him in a 7-minute House speech denouncing the decision.
“This was not a peaceful protest as some have tried to portray it, including President Trump and Speaker Johnson,” said Costa, one of 25 House members trapped inside the gallery while rioters pounded locked doors and shattered glass windows.
“The photos and videos that we’ve all seen make it clear this was no lovefest. It was a violent insurrection attempt to try and overthrow a fair and free election.”
Since then, Costa has issued statements pressing the Trump administration “for answers” about his sudden water release orders from Tulare County reservoirs, supporting 5,000 federal employees in his district that were sent letters asking them to resign and imploring Trump to halt the 25% tariffs on building materials from Mexico and Canada.
‘A betrayal of Ukraine and democracy’
Costa saved some of his strongest language for a Feb. 24 press release denouncing Vladimir Putin’s aggression in Ukraine as well as the U.S.’s vote against the United Nations resolution condemning Russia.
“This is a betrayal of Ukraine and of democracy itself,” Costa’s statement said. “Putin is a war criminal, and this vote undermines our commitment to justice and global unity.”
While it’s well-known Costa is a member of the House Committee on Agriculture and tends to focus on farming and water issues, he also (since 2019) serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and its Europe subcommittee. This aspect of Costa’s job isn’t as covered by Fresno media, but he has close ties in the war-torn country formed during four visits over the past six years.
This split between agriculture and foreign affairs is reflected in the campaign contributions Costa received during the 2023-24 election cycle. His largest financial support came from the crop production & processing industry ($170,600) followed by pro-Israel lobbies ($141,472) including $136,472 from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, according to OpenSecrets.org.
Costa’s November election victory, by 5.2% over Republican challenger Michael Maher, was his narrowest margin since 2014. That’s despite running in the redrawn 21st Congressional District, which based on voter registration should have been more favorable to Democrats than the one Costa represented between 2013-23.
By casting Trump-friendly votes on the censure and Laken Riley Act while scolding Trump for his executive orders and policy decisions, Costa appears to be pitching to both sides of the plate. But far be it from me to question the strategy of a politician with his winning streak among Fresno voters.
Costa has been in public service for so long he practically blends into the tapestry. But as recent weeks have shown, he is still capable of standing out.
