As RedState reported on Thursday, a win by Republican candidate and farmer/businessman John Duarte in the last California congressional race of CA-13 would set the tone for a Republican House GOP in 2023. A tone that the American people want Biden’s agenda blocked, and destroyed if possible. After more pretzel twisting by the SEIU goons who count the California ballots to see if Democrat Assemblyman Adam Gray could overtake Duarte, it appears the last ballot dump on Friday moved the needle closer to Duarte with 67,041 to Gray’s 66,476.
On Friday, Gray conceded:
There is no better place to grow up than in the Valley. It has been the greatest honor of my life to represent our community in the State Legislature. Whether elected or not, I will never stop fighting for the Valley. pic.twitter.com/xVQagl7MXx
— Adam C. Gray (@AdamGrayCA) December 3, 2022
The legacy media did not pick up the news until Saturday, and Decision Desk HQ hasn’t called it. Thankfully, we’re not. Last weekend, Duarte was already taking his place, attending the second Congressional orientation, and taking a photo with his fellow freshman grassroots congressman from CA-03, Kevin Kiley:
Introducing the GOP freshman class from California. @Duarte4Congress pic.twitter.com/zm16dp64m6
— Kevin Kiley (@KevinKileyCA) December 4, 2022
From the California Globe:
Duarte’s win marks a small, but noticeable, gain for the Republicans in California – 12 House seats are now held by GOP Representatives, 1 more than last year. Democrats now are down by two, losing one overall to the GOP and one through California losing a seat through reapportionment.
The win also gives the Republicans a 222-213 majority in the House, with several over California GOP wins being key in cementing the win through several close races. In the 13th district specifically, water issues, as well as other big Californian issues such as homelessness, housing affordability, and abortion, helped decide the race despite being slightly blue in terms of registered voters and the district going for Biden in the 2020 presidential election by 11 points.
“Duarte may have barely won,” added San Joaquin Valley pollster Juan Gomez to the Globe on Monday. “Other candidates, like Mike Garcia, also may have barely won. But they won nonetheless. Despite all the redistricting and the failure of the red wave coming, and California being a solid blue state. Despite all that the GOP held on for gains in California.”
Barely won is correct. Duarte edged out Gray with 565 votes. No word on whether Gray still plans to pursue that recount he’s been mounting. Whatever may be the case, Duarte is taking his place in a GOP Majority Congress as the 221st Republican and is looking to make an impact.
On behalf of myself, my family, and all of Team Duarte, I want to thank everyone who powered this campaign. I am honored and ready to serve our Valley. You all sent me to Congress and I will honor your choice every single day in office. pic.twitter.com/TNv9kLU8o3
— John Duarte (@Duarte4Congress) December 5, 2022
As if on cue, the GOP elite are intent on snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. As my colleague Bonchie reported, the Senate Republicans are working with Democrats to push through amnesty for “Dreamers” during the lame-duck session.
Really?
Duarte appeared on Fox News’ The Ingraham Angle on Monday to talk about his victory and comment on this move by the Senate Republicans.
“More spending. More government control. No water on the farms. No domestic oil production. This all equals inflation. We ran on the high cost of living. We talked to working families up and down the district about the high cost of living. We are spending money on everything but curing the high cost of living and inflation. So, I agree with Kevin [McCarthy]: shut it down.”
Duarte, along with Kevin Kiley are the California grassroots candidates in the freshman class and have the pulse on the citizens in their districts. Duarte is none too happy with this move to obviously undermine the power that could be resident in a GOP House.
“Don’t. Just stop. I stepped aside from my company, worked our butts off out here to get to Congress. We don’t need a deal made to cut our knees out from us before we even get sworn in.
“We have a freshman class that came to make changes in D.C., give us a chance to govern. We earned it.”
They did earn it and deserve to lead as they were elected to do. But entrenched D.C., both Republican and Democrat, are more interested in maintaining their fiefdoms than they are in doing the will of the American people.
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