David Valadao

David Goncalves Valadao is an American politician and dairy farmer. He is the U.S. Representative-elect for California’s 21st congressional district. Before being elected to Congress, he served one term in the California State Assembly, representing the 30th district.

About David Valadao in brief

Summary David ValadaoDavid Goncalves Valadao is an American politician and dairy farmer. He is the U.S. Representative-elect for California’s 21st congressional district. In 2020, he defeated TJ Cox to reclaim the seat he held from 2013 to 2019. Before being elected to Congress, he served one term in the California State Assembly, representing the 30th district. He was born and raised in Hanford, California. His parents are Portuguese immigrants; his father grew up on the Azores Islands. 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. In March 2018 he was named in two lawsuits against the dairy for defaulting on almost USD 9 million in loans and for failing to pay a supplier. In June 2018 a bank seized the dairy and sold it off to pay its debts. He agreed to pay USD 325,000 to former employees who sued for being denied breaks, minimum wage and overtime pay. The settlement was not paid due to Valadae and Triple V Dairy filing for bankruptcy. In January 2016 Emilio Huerta, the son of United Farm Workers co-founder Dolores HuertA, announced his candidacy in the Democrat race. Valadaos finished first with 54% of the vote and Huertas finished second with 24%.

In the June 7 primary Valadaa finished first as a Democrat, and in the November 4 general election he was reelected with 58% of the vote. He ran for reelection to a third term in 2016. His first challenger was Democrat Daniel Parra, the Mayor pro tem of Fowler, California, who grew up in Tulare, but dropped out due to issues regarding her residency outside of the district. His second opponent was Democrat Connie Perez, an accountant in Pasadena, California who dropped out less than a month after announcing her candidacy. In the November 6 general election, he was defeated Hernandez, 58%–42%. A Wall Street Journal op-ed cited his victory in a district that had long been held by Democrats as a potential template for the GOP, while other analysts cited his opponent’s \”weakness as a candidate and a campaigner\” as playing a major role. In a 2013 interview, ValadaO said his parents were initially registered Democrats but later switched to the Republican Party. He graduated from Hanford High School in 1995. From 1996 to 1998 he attended the College of the Sequoias in Visalia as a part-time student but did not graduate.