Is California’s GOP pulling strings to replace Kevin McCarthy? One candidate thinks so | Opinion

Much of the email I get these days is about campaigns and candidates, as California’s 2024 primary election is March 5.

Among the most amusing to read are those by David Giglio, a Republican candidate who wants to replace Kevin McCarthy in Congress.

Giglio is a small business owner from Madera Ranchos. His emails bring chuckles because of the outlandish claims he makes about himself and opponents.

For example, he routinely starts with “David Giglio, the only America First Republican running for Congress in California’s 20th District ...”

There are 11 candidates certified to run for the 20th District, which stretches from Kern County north to Clovis and includes parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties. Of the 11, seven are Republicans. I am pretty sure all of them would say they are “America First.”

In another email, Giglio asserts that Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, one of the Republicans running for the seat, is an “open border globalist RINO,” or Republican in name only.

Opinion

What did Boudreaux do to deserve such labeling? He told a reporter that local law enforcement agencies should not enforce immigration law.

Far from being outside the norm, Boudreaux merely identifies the current state of affairs: County sheriffs and local police are charged with upholding California laws. Federal agencies are in charge of national immigration laws.

Giglio calls Boudreaux’s stance a “radical position.” That is laughable, but predictable hyperbole, as campaigns get underway in the new year.

As for calling the sheriff a “globalist,” how many people living in the 20th District even know what that means?

Vince Fong out, then in

There is one accusation Giglio makes that does have some kernel of legitimacy to it, however. He contends the Republican party is pulling the strings to get Assemblymember Vince Fong on the ballot for the 20th District race.

Fong is from Bakersfield, the same as McCarthy, and Fong worked for McCarthy before he entered politics.

When the nomination period opened last month, Fong initially applied for re-election to his 32nd District seat in the Assembly. In a press release Dec. 7 announcing his decision, Fong said “After giving it thoughtful and prayerful consideration, my family and I have decided that now is not my time, and I will not be running for Congress in 2024.”

Four days later state Sen. Shannon Grove, another Republican from Bakersfield, announced that she would not run to replace McCarthy, even though she would have been a strong contender.

Hours after Grove’s choice, Fong reversed course and said he would run for Congress after all. “In light of recent developments,” he said in a news release, “and in an attempt to unite our community in this critical moment in our nation’s history, I have decided to run for Congress in 2024.”

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber, citing state election codes, then determined Fong could not run for Congress because he had already filed nomination papers for the Assembly. Fong sued, and a Sacramento Superior Court judge found in his favor, faulting Weber for applying outdated codes to the current case. Weber has appealed.

Giglio has also said he will sue to keep Fong off the ballot for the 20th District. And he blasted the California GOP for its alleged political string-pulling in favor of Fong.

“The GOP does not care about election integrity. Ignoring election laws when they benefit their agenda is evidence that the Washington uni-party is joining forces to keep outsiders from breaking into their club and destroying the status quo.

“They call it “Permanent Washington” for a reason. Kevin McCarthy isn’t actually leaving Congress, he’s installing a puppet who will do the bidding for him and the corrupt RINO establishment.

“Rules for thee and not for me. That’s how the swamp operates.”

Uniparty, corrupt RINO establishment, permanent Washington — so many sound-bite references that don’t hold up in the real world. But Giglio is right to question what went down from Fong’s first announcement to Grove declining to Fong jumping back in.

Courts to decide

Giglio fashions himself as a Make America Great Again candidate after Donald Trump, and they do share one thing in common: The courts will play a major role this year in the ultimate success of their campaigns.

Should Fong remain on the ballot for the congressional 20th, he will be the leading contender and will probably get financial backing from McCarthy, enabling him to buy airtime to introduce himself to voters in the sprawling district.

If judges determine what Weber (no relation to me) was right in her interpretation of election rules and Fong is disqualified, that would open the possibility of a non-Kern County candidate leading the way. That could be good for the Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties parts of the district. The majority of voters are in Kern County, which means they get the most attention of the representative.

However it settles out, it makes for good political theater.