By admin 
Progressive Randy Villegas continues to widen his lead over fellow Democrat Assemblymember Jasmeet Bains in California’s 22nd Congressional District — though thousands of votes remain uncounted.
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As of 4:30 p.m. Friday, Villegas had captured 30.4% of votes compared to Bains’ 26.2%. About 61% of the votes have been counted, according to The Associated Press.
If the results hold, Villegas will advance to face longtime Republican Rep. David Valadao in November. The 22nd District, which encompasses parts of five Central Valley counties, is among the closely watched background races in the country and could determine which political party controls the House.
A Villegas victory would be a blow to national Democrats, some of whom threw their support behind Bains because of her medical background and moderate streak. Villegas, a college professor and school board trustee, has embraced progressive policy positions and built a strong grassroots following in the heavily Latino, working class district.
His advantage over Bains has grown with every vote update. Villegas is also winning in four of the district’s five counties.
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More results are expected Monday afternoon from Kern County, which makes up the bulk of the district’s electorate and is Bains’ home base. Villegas currently has a slim advantage in the county.
Fresno and Kings counties’ next updates are Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Madera County posted its latest election results on Friday afternoon.
Valadao, who was first elected to Congress in 2012, would likely enter the general election as the favorite. He has won six out of the last seven elections despite the district’s Democratic registration advantage.
Still, Democrats view him as particularly vulnerable this cycle amid President Donald Trump’s declining popularity and Valadao’s key vote last year to cut Medicaid spending.
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This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 5:05 PM.