California Republican Vince Fong was sworn in to Congress on Monday after winning a special election to fill the remainder of retiring former U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s term.
Before running for Congress, Fung served as a California state senator. She was supported by former President Donald Trump and McCarthy, who watched the inauguration live from the House chamber. Fung’s swearing-in gave Republicans a 218-213 majority.
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Fong said that during tours of his Central Valley-based congressional district, he heard Congress must focus more on other priorities, including addressing the U.S.-Mexico border, stemming the price hikes for basic goods and keeping communities safe.
Republican Rep. Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, right, is congratulated by Democratic Rep. Marc Berman, R-Palo Alto, on Rep. Fong’s recent election to the House of Representatives during a congressional session in Sacramento, California, Thursday, May 23, 2024. Rep. Fong defeated Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreau in Tuesday’s runoff election for California’s 20th Congressional District seat, completing Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s term. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)
“I know our concerns are very similar to the concerns you’ve heard,” Fong said. “We just have to work harder to find solutions and get results.”
Fong defeated fellow Republican, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreau, in a special election last month for the 20th Congressional District, located in the state’s agricultural region.
McCarthy is the only speaker in history to be voted out of office. About two months after the historic vote, he chose to resign rather than serve out the remainder of his term. He has been backing Fong’s candidacy behind the scenes. A political action committee linked to McCarthy has poured more than $700,000 into the 20th District race to boost Fong’s campaign.
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Fung said he wanted to especially thank McCarthy, calling him a mentor and friend who “has worked tirelessly for decades to serve the constituents of California’s Central Valley and our nation.”
