Republican Assemblyman Vince Fong running to succeed Bakersfield, CA Rep. Kevin McCarthy

A Bakersfield Assemblyman who served as Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s district director for about a decade will run to succeed his former boss in Congress.

Assemblyman Vince Fong, R-Bakersfield, announced on social media he would run in California’s 20th Congressional District, a deep-red San Joaquin Valley stronghold.

Fong, who said last week he would not enter the race, changed course after state Sen. Shannon Grove, R-Bakersfield, announced that she would not pursue election to McCarthy’s seat.

“It is my strong belief that the Central Valley must continue to be represented by proven, conservative leaders in Congress,” Fong wrote. “In light of recent developments 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. Let’s go!”

Fong has procedural hurdles ahead. He qualified for re-election to the Assembly before Friday’s filing deadline and has through Wednesday to complete his congressional paperwork. The Bee asked the California Secretary of State’s office how easily he could withdraw from the Assembly race and is awaiting a response.

Fong, 44, currently represents California’s 32nd Assembly district, and was first elected in 2016. Prior to that, he served as the district director to McCarthy, R-Bakersfield.

Both Fong and McCarthy were born and raised in Bakersfield. Like Fong, McCarthy worked as an aide to the retiring incumbent, former Republican Rep. Bill Thomas.

McCarthy, who turns 59 in January, announced last week that he would retire from Congress at the year’s end. Eight GOP hardliners joined all Democrats to remove him as speaker, a role McCarthy coveted for years and held for nine months.

Fong is the best-known Republican running in California’s 20th so far. Candidates have through Dec. 13 to file for the congressional term that begins in January 2025. The seat is will almost certainly remain Republican.

“Based on 2020 presidential numbers, it is the most Republican district in the state. Donald Trump won it by 25 points — it is too red of a district for Democrats to seriously contest it,” said Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball, which analyzes elections.

David Giglio, a self-proclaimed “America First” Republican and business owner, said he would run, as did Oregon Republican Matthew Piatt, a consultant.

A number of Democrats announced, including Marisa Wood, a Bakersfield teacher who challenged McCarthy in 2022; John Burrows, a Fresno public affairs entrepreneur, and Andy Morales of Bakersfield, a recent college graduate working in private security. Ben Dewell, who ran as a Democrat in the 2022 primary, is campaigning as an Independent.

Depending on when McCarthy retires, California Gov. Gavin Newsom may call for a special election to fill the remainder of his term.

McCarthy has withheld his endorsement from any candidate so far. But Assemblyman Devon Mathis, R-Porterville, who is leaving his role in the Legislature when his term ends and declined to run for McCarthy’s seat, wrote on social media Monday that Tulare Sheriff Mike Boudreaux “would be hard to beat.”