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2024 California's 20th congressional district special election

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The 2024 California's 20th congressional district special election was held on March 19, 2024, with a runoff on May 21 because no candidate received more than 50% of the vote in the first round. It elected a new member of the United States House of Representatives to replace Kevin McCarthy, who resigned on December 31, 2023, following his removal as speaker of the House.[1]

Quick facts California's 20th congressional district, Candidate ...
2024 California's 20th congressional district special election
← 2022
March 19, 2024 (first round)
May 21, 2024 (runoff)
November 2024 →
California's 20th congressional district
 
Candidate Vince Fong Mike Boudreaux Marisa Wood
Party Republican Republican Democratic
First round 51,194
42.3%		 31,202
25.8%		 27,337
22.6%
Runoff 50,643
60.6%		 32,952
39.4%		 Eliminated
Fong:      30–40%      50–60%      70–80%
Boudreaux:      30–40%      50–60%      60–70%
Tie:      50%
U.S. Representative before election

Kevin McCarthy
Republican

 Elected U.S. Representative

Vince Fong
Republican

Close

Two Republicans, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux and state assemblyman Vince Fong, advanced to the runoff. Boudreaux narrowly edged out the leading Democrat, teacher Marisa Wood, to claim the second runoff spot. Fong won the runoff with more than 60% of the vote[2] and won a full term in November 2024; Boudreaux dropped out of the November race but his name remained on the ballot.[3]

Background

Further information: January 2023 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives election and Removal of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House

At the start of the 118th Congress, Republicans' narrow majority garnered from the 2022 elections allowed McCarthy, the then-leader of the House Republican Conference, to be elected speaker at the start of the session. However, opposition from the far-right Freedom Caucus prolonged the election, leading to fifteen rounds of voting that eventually resulted in McCarthy's election. The caucus continued its opposition of McCarthy during his tenure, threatening a government shutdown following his involvement in negotiations for the federal budget. When McCarthy led the House in passing a continuing resolution, relying on votes from the Democratic Caucus to effectively avert a shutdown, Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida filed a motion to vacate the speakership. On October 3, the motion narrowly passed, and McCarthy was removed from the office of Speaker of the House, the first instance of which in American history.

Two months after his political defeat, McCarthy published an op-ed with The Wall Street Journal announcing his resignation from Congress, highlighting his accomplishments and stating that his work is "only getting started."[4] His announcement came while House Republicans' majority had already lowered since the expulsion of Representative George Santos of New York, making the legislative agenda of the new speaker, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, more difficult to pass. As such, Republicans see both the special and general House elections in 2024 as crucial to maintaining their influence in Congress.[5] Nonetheless, this district is considered safely Republican: McCarthy won 67.2% of the vote in 2022 against Democratic challenger Marisa Wood.

Nonpartisan blanket primary

Campaign

Vince Fong, an assemblymember who was considered a protégé of McCarthy, announced that he would be running for the seat after initially declining to run. He was deemed ineligible to run in the 2024 Presidential Primary as the deadline already passed (but not ineligible for the special election) by California Secretary of State Shirley Weber due to Fong having already qualified to be on that ballot for re-election in the California State Assembly, which is prohibited by state law.[6][7] Fong sued the state, with Superior Court judge Shelleyanne W. L. Chang ruling in favor of Fong and allowing him to run in the election.[8] In response to the ruling, Weber appealed the ruling and assemblymember Wendy Carrillo introduced a bill that would prevent candidates from running for two elected offices at the same time.[9][10] In January 2024, Weber filed a petition to a state appeals court to erase the ruling and prohibit Fong from running, while assemblywoman Gail Pellerin introduced a bill to bar candidates from filing to run for more than one office during the same election.[11]

Candidates

Advanced to general

Eliminated in primary

  • James Cardoza (no party preference), real estate photographer[14]
  • Anna Cohen (Republican), high school employee[14]
  • Ben Dewell (no party preference), meteorologist and Democratic candidate for this district in 2022[14]
  • David Fluhart (no party preference), cannabis grower[14]
  • Kyle Kirkland (Republican), casino owner and chairman of the board for Fresno Chaffee Zoo[15]
  • Harmesh Kumar (Democratic), psychologist and perennial candidate[14]
  • Marisa Wood (Democratic), teacher and runner-up for this district in 2022[16]

Declined

Endorsements

Mike Boudreaux (R)

U.S. executive branch officials

U.S. representatives

State legislators

Individuals

Organizations

Labor unions

Newspapers

Vince Fong (R)

Executive branch officials

U.S. representatives

Local officials

Organizations

Labor unions

Marisa Wood (D)

Individuals

Debate

More information No., Date ...
2024 California's 20th congressional district special election primary debate
No. Date Host Moderator Link Republican Republican Democratic Democratic
Key:
 P  Participant   A  Absent   N  Not invited   I  Invited  W  Withdrawn
Mike Boudreaux Vince Fong Andy Morales Marisa Wood
1[39] Feb. 22, 2024 KGET
KGPE		 Brian Dorman
Jim Scott		 YouTube P P P P
Close

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
2024 California's 20th congressional district primary
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vince Fong 51,194 42.3
Republican Mike Boudreaux 31,202 25.8
Democratic Marisa Wood 27,337 22.6
Republican Kyle Kirkland 5,941 4.9
Democratic Harmesh Kumar 2,885 2.4
No party preference Ben Dewell 1,074 0.9
No party preference David Fluhart 878 0.7
No party preference James Cardoza 298 0.2
Republican Anna Cohen 289 0.2
Total votes 121,098 100.0
Close
More information By county, County ...
Close

General election

Endorsements

Mike Boudreaux (R)

U.S. executive branch officials

U.S. representatives

State legislators

Individuals

Organizations

Labor unions

Newspapers

Vince Fong (R)

Executive branch officials

U.S. representatives

Local officials

Organizations

Labor unions

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Poll source Date(s)
administered		 Sample
size[c]		 Margin
of error		 Mike
Boudreaux (R)		 Vince
Fong (R)		 Undecided
WPA Intelligence[40][A] April 1–3, 2024 400 (LV) ± 4.9% 30% 46% 24%
Close

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...
2024 California's 20th congressional district special election[41]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Vince Fong 50,643 60.58
Republican Mike Boudreaux 32,952 39.42
Total votes 83,595 100.00
Close
More information By county, County ...
Close

See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    Numbered as the 21st district prior to the 2010 redistricting cycle and as the 22nd district from then until the 2020 redistricting cycle.
  2. [b]
    Numbered as the 19th district prior to the 2020 redistricting cycle.
  3. [c]
    Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear
  1. [A]
    Poll sponsored by Fong's campaign

References

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