Special Election To Replace McCarthy Reportedly Heads To Runoff

(LibertyInsider.org) – The process of replacing former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R) in California’s 20th congressional district is about to heat up. CBS News is projecting that the special election to fill the vacancy he left behind will lead to a run-off in May, as none of the current candidates managed to secure more than 50% of the vote.

Central Valley Assemblymember Vince Fong is expected to advance to the upcoming runoff election. Although he was the sole Republican to receive McCarthy’s endorsement for the role, he isn’t the only contender vying for the opportunity to serve out the former House Speaker’s term. A certified list of candidates published on March 19 confirms that at least two Democrats, four Republicans, and three independents currently share the same ballot.

The greatest threat to Fong’s campaign will likely come from Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, a conservative who hails from Tulare County. In an exclusive interview with KBAK News, he suggested that voters are ready for change and pointed out that having two Republicans in the same race gives people options. “I think that’s healthy,” he said, adding that “quite frankly, democracy would demand that we have those types of options.”

CBS News projects the U.S. House special election in California's 20th congressional district will go to a runoff to fill the vacancy left by former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. https://t.co/KJRHfAljio

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 20, 2024

The two Democrats currently competing for the position of House Speaker are unlikely to make any significant headway in the deeply conservative 20th District. Both ran in separate primaries in early March but failed to gain enough traction to win.

Harmesh Kumar, a Bay Area psychologist, secured just 0.3% of the total vote in California’s Senate primaries on March 5. Bakersfield public school teacher Marisa Wood, who ran for a seat in the House instead, fared significantly better by managing to win nearly 21.3% of the vote. However, she, too, was ultimately unsuccessful.

The special election is currently scheduled for May 21. Whoever secures the majority vote at that time will immediately begin serving McCarthy’s remaining term, which is officially set to end on January 3, 2025.