This is an accepted version of this page David Goncalves Valadao (/ˌvæləˈdeɪoʊ/ VAL-ə-DAY-oh; born April 14, 1977)[1] is an American politician and dairy farmer serving as the U.S. representative for California's 22nd congressional district since 2023.

[10] He has been a member of the California Milk Advisory Board, Western States Dairy Trade Association, and Regional Leadership Council chairman for Land O' Lakes.

Valadao said, "Like so many family dairy farms across the country, burdensome government regulations made it impossible for the operation to remain open.

[15] Valadao announced his candidacy for California's 30th State Assembly district after the 2010 retirement of Republican assemblyman Danny Gilmore.

In the June 5 open primary, he ranked first with 57% of the vote, ahead of Democrat John Hernandez – the head of the local Hispanic Chamber of Commerce – and Fresno City Councilman Blong Xiong.

[36] Cox had previously announced a challenge to Republican congressman Jeff Denham in the 10th district before switching to Valadao's seat.

[37] Valadao declared victory on November 6 after the Associated Press initially called the race in his favor, but mail-in ballots gave Cox a very narrow lead.

[43] In June 2022, Valadao placed second in the open primary for California's redistricted 22nd congressional district, advancing to the November general election.

[45][47] According to the Los Angeles Times, the GOP declined to support a challenger because Valadao holds a seat in a Democratic-leaning district that "can't be won by any other Republican".

[50][51] Valadao's victory made him one of just two House Republicans who supported impeaching Donald Trump to remain in Congress after the 2022 election, alongside Dan Newhouse of Washington.

[52] In the March 5, 2024 open primary, Valadao received approximately 33% of the vote to secure a place in the general election in November 2024.

"[64][65] On May 19, 2021, Valadao was one of 35 Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting to approve legislation to establish the January 6 commission meant to investigate the storming of the U.S.

[67] In 2017, Valadao was blacklisted by Azerbaijan for taking part in a visit to Armenia and a disputed, breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is populated and governed by ethnic Armenians.

In August 2017, Valadao and Representative Joe Courtney sent a letter urging the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans have access to medical care from the VA.[74] That same year, Valadao and Representative Jeff Denham introduced the Assessing Critical Care Efforts to Strengthen Services Act.

It would correct California's Medicaid reimbursement method to encourage physicians to operate in the Central Valley and ensure patient access to doctors and specialists.

[75] Also in 2017, Valadao and five other members of Congress introduced the Training the Next Generation of Primary Care Doctors Act of 2017, which would reauthorize the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program.

[80][81] In August 2014, he broke ranks with the Republican Party and voted against a bill that would have dismantled the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

[83] In June 2018, Valadao released a statement about the Department of Justice's "zero tolerance" policy, which involved separating children and parents at the Mexican border.

"[86] In 2013, Valadao was one of 15 House Republicans to vote against a Republican-backed bill to make deep cuts in food stamp spending.

[95] During his first tenure in the House, Valadao consistently ranked as the poorest member of Congress by net worth, with over $17.5 million in debt in 2018, mainly loans to his family's dairy farm.