11 months ago
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FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - The equilibrium of powerfulness successful the United States House of Representatives could beryllium determined by a fistful of Central Valley legislature districts, including California's 13th Congressional District.
Nationally, Republicans lone clasp a slim majority, and Democrats person narrowed successful connected this territory arsenic 1 to flip.
A specified 564 votes stood betwixt Adam Gray and John Duarte during the 2022 midterm predetermination for this nonstop aforesaid seat. It was a adjacent race, that took weeks to find who won. Ultimately, the present freshman congressman John Duarte ended up getting elected, and sworn in.
Now, 2 years later, determination is simply a rematch to spot who volition correspond California's immense 13th Congressional District, which contains parts of Fresno, Madera, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties, arsenic good arsenic each of Merced County. It spans arsenic acold southbound arsenic Coalinga, and up to Lathrop.
Gray, a Democrat, was calved and raised successful Merced. He says increasing up, his household was successful the agriculture and dairy business. He served for 10 years successful the California State Assembly and says that acquisition volition assistance him get things done successful Congress.
"I've been a extremist centrist my full career. I really judge radical ought to enactment together. I don't judge you should enactment your enactment first. I deliberation you should enactment your assemblage first," Gray said.
Some of his apical priorities see expanding entree to healthcare, water, agriculture and education.
"When I was successful the legislature, I helped walk with Governor Brown the bipartisan Infrastructure Act, the bipartisan h2o enslaved to put successful our h2o infrastructure, put successful our roads, our nationalist transit, amended communities and commerce and opportunity. I worked for 10 years to get a aesculapian schoolhouse started astatine UC Merced," helium said.
When it comes to the borderline and immigration, Gray said authorities got successful the mode of solving issues and blames Republicans similar Duarte, for stepping distant from a bipartisan deal.
On inflation, Gray said authorities projects can marque a difference.
"The outgo of inferior bills present successful the Valley is extraordinarily high. And truthful the national authorities has an accidental to put successful much energy, including renewable energy. Right, which we're seeing expanding investments successful each year. You tin supply authorities backing for infrastructure to spur housing," helium said.
John Duarte, a Republican, who presently lives successful Modesto, has tally his ain nursery concern for years. He says that his acquisition of moving with farmers and the concern assemblage has helped him recognize issues impacting the valley.
"The policies coming retired of Washington, D.C. and California, for that matter, are truly crushing these moving families, are crushing farmers there. They're destroying jobs present successful our community. And I deliberation I tin talk to that," Duarte said.
He's presently serving his archetypal word successful the House of Representatives and says helium has sponsored bills ranging from veterans' issues to water.
"We're moving connected h2o infrastructure projects that are going to bring treated aboveground h2o to the westbound broadside communities wherever they've been moving connected groundwater. Our groundwater connected the westbound broadside of the vale successful my territory is unacceptable for quality use," helium said.
He says ostentation is simply a immense issue, and getting radical moving and producing goods volition assistance easiness costs. On the borderline bill, helium did reason what was being projected and said helium voted nary due to the fact that of a circumstantial clause, and not due to the fact that of a partisan divide.
"Until we hook amnesty, DACA, getting radical retired of the shadows truly enactment immoderate pieces to it that marque it a broader migration compromise and betterment bill, we're not going to spell anywhere," Duarte said.
Election time is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
