Vince Fong, a Chinese-American political figure and Republican assemblyman from California, has won a special election to fill the seat of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. His term will last until January next year.
On Tuesday of this week, May 21st, Vince Fong, supported by McCarthy and former President Donald Trump, emerged victorious in the race for California’s 20th district, defeating fellow Republican and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux.
These two conservative Republicans share similarities in their policies. Boudreaux has been emphasizing his decades of law enforcement experience and pledged to strengthen the nation’s porous borders. Fong, on the other hand, promised to end the “chaos” at the Mexico border while prioritizing water and energy needs in the farming communities.
In the latest vote count on Tuesday night, Fong led Boudreaux by a margin of 60% to 39% with 65% of the votes tallied.
According to Voice of America, Fong expressed humility and gratitude in a statement regarding the election results. “With the campaign coming to a close, the real work is just beginning,” Fong said, highlighting his focus on border security, support for small businesses, and investment in crucial water storage infrastructure for the region’s agriculture.
This special election only covers the remainder of McCarthy’s term. In November of this year, Fong and Boudreaux will once again compete for the full two-year term in the district, but the winner of the special election will have the advantage of incumbency.
Before being elected as an assemblyman in 2016, Fong served as the district director for Kevin McCarthy. McCarthy resigned last December, two months after becoming the first House Speaker in history to step down. Reports from the Associated Press indicate that McCarthy had been campaigning behind the scenes for Fong, with a political action committee associated with McCarthy investing over $700,000 to support Fong’s candidacy.
Trump endorsed Fong back in February of this year, labeling him a “true Republican.”
Once inaugurated, Fong’s presence will bring the Republicans to 218 seats in the House of Representatives, while the Democrats hold 213 seats, with 4 vacancies. This will give current House Speaker Mike Johnson more breathing room.
The date of Fong’s inauguration is yet to be determined and will be decided by Speaker Johnson.
At 44 years old, Fong, a Chinese-American political figure, was born and raised in Bakersfield, California. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a bachelor’s degree in political science and later obtained a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University.