Staff Reports
In a shocking turn of events, Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s decision to leave Congress at the end of the year has caused quite the political rollercoaster in California’s 20th district. The outgoing lawmaker handpicked Republican California Legislator Vince Fong to replace him, only to have their plans squashed by state law. What a mess!
Kevin McCarthy’s choice to replace him can’t legally run for Congress under California lawhttps://t.co/pVVF178hk6 pic.twitter.com/OBZRRRO6UY
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 18, 2023
The drama unfolded when Mr. Fong’s attempt to fill Mr. McCarthy’s shoes was slapped with a big “nope” by the California Secretary of State. Turns out, under state law, Mr. Fong’s dream of running for Congress was unceremoniously crushed. Ouch!
The whole fiasco stems from the last-minute nature of Mr. McCarthy’s retirement. Mr. Fong initially decided not to run and even filed for reelection in his local district because he thought State Sen. Shannon Grove was going to throw her hat in the ring. But surprise, surprise – she changed her mind, leaving Mr. Fong scrambling to fill the void. Talk about a political game of musical chairs!
Despite Mr. McCarthy endorsing him, Mr. Fong missed the deadline to file for the congressional race by a hair. California Secretary of State Shirley Weber didn’t mince words when she said, “Nope, not gonna happen” to Mr. Fong’s late entry. She made it clear that Mr. Fong’s nomination papers were a big no-no under state law. Sorry, buddy!
But Mr. Fong isn’t taking this setback lying down. He’s ready to rumble and plans to take this battle to the courts, claiming the Secretary of State’s decision is “an unprecedented interference in the candidate filing process.” You go, Mr. Fong – fight the power!
And the drama doesn’t stop there. With other lawmakers like Rep. Bill Johnson and Rep. Brian Higgins also making a swift exit, the House is turning into a political ghost town. In New York, former Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi and local Republican legislator Mazi Pilip are gearing up for a showdown to claim the vacant seat left behind by expelled former lawmaker George Santos. What a political circus!
Get your popcorn ready, folks, because it’s clear that the race to fill these congressional vacancies is going to be one wild ride. Buckle up, constituents – it’s going to be a bumpy election season!
