Trump-Backed Candidate Scores Huge Special Election Win

California Assemblyman Vince Fong appears to have won California’s special election decisively yesterday, expanding the Republican Party’s majority in the House to five seats.

With 87 percent of the votes counted, The New York Times reported Fong leading over fellow Republican Mike Boudreaux with 60.2 percent to 39.8 percent, making Boudreaux's victory highly unlikely without significant changes in the remaining count.

Fong secured victory in the special election to fill the seat vacated by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who stepped down at the end of 2023 after losing the speakership. McCarthy endorsed Fong in this race.

Former President Donald Trump also endorsed Fong and celebrated his win on social media.

Fong and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux emerged as the top two candidates in California’s March primary, leading to their face-off in the run-off, unique to California's election system.

A former aide to McCarthy, Fong will now serve the remainder of McCarthy’s term as the representative for California’s 20th Congressional District.

The timing of Fong's swearing-in ceremony is yet to be determined by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who aims for a prompt schedule.

Fong and Boudreaux will compete again in November’s general election.

CNN reported that the 20th District contest was the first of three House special elections for vacant GOP seats, with subsequent elections in Ohio’s 6th Congressional District on June 11 and Colorado’s 4th District on June 25.

Fong expressed humility and gratitude for the early voting results on social media, emphasizing his focus on addressing critical community issues in Congress, such as border security, small business support, water storage and infrastructure investment, energy industry advancement, and national security amid significant threats.

He called for unity and collaboration to safeguard the American way of life.