Vidak Victory Needs More Vetting (Again!)

State Senate District 14 is a majority Democratic district, and a Republican cruised to reelection as their representative.

How did this happen?

Hanford, CA cherry farmer Andy Vidak won the special election for the 16th Congressional district in 2013. In spite of the two-to-one Democratic advantage for that seat, Vidak won by a nine point spread after the primary, when Vidak had almost captured a full majority.

California Republican Party activists wondered why the state apparatus put so much time and money on this Central Valley contest while ignoring or offering token support to other special election races.

One simple reason is manifest with this year's primary results: Vidak not only carried State Senate District 16, but with the switch-over to the redistricted SD-14, Vidak was likely to win that district, as well.



State Senate District 14

There is nothing more frustrating than putting resources into a special election, only to watch the upstart winner lose the seat again the next year during the general election.

Avoiding that waste, the CA GOP invested in a candidate who would win and remain a winner.

These calculations are crucial if the CA GOP wants to remain a viable force in the state. Target winnable districts with strong candidates, rely on community connections and strong name recognition, not just money, and a candidate who represents the voice and values of the district will get the votes.

State Senator Andy Vidak

I had written in the past that the Vidak victory needed more vetting, and his latest 62-38% victory over Luis Chavez deserves recognition as well as research for a strong Republican resurgence in the state of California.