¶ How To Win Against David Valadao
David Valadao sells himself as a defender of his constituents with a willingness to vote against his party if they do not protect the benefits Californians rely on, and then repeatedly breaks that promise and says he did the right thing. He voted for the “One Big Beautiful Bill” that resulted in tens of thousands of his constituents losing health care but claimed constituents were “choosing not to get off the couch” and needed to “have some skin in the game.” His support of Trump’s war in Iran and tariffs raised food and gas prices, hurting farmers, local businesses, and constituents. He claims he can relate to the struggles of farmers in his district but his own family dairy had to declare bankruptcy, was involved in an employment suit, and didn’t properly train a worker on safety protocols, resulting in the employee losing part of his arm. Valadao wants the hard-working reputation of a farmer from his district but won’t put in the work when it comes to protecting Californians.
¶ Valadao Voted To Cut Health coverage for Californians
- Valadao repeatedly promisedconstituents that he would not vote for a budget bill that put Medicaid at risk. He then voted for a bill that would kick 17 million Americans off their health insurance, including nearly 12 million Americans off of Medicaid. More than 65,140 Californians in his district could lose their health coverage as a result of his votes, yet Valadao suggested constituents were simply “choosing not to get off the couch” and should “do something to better” themselves.
- Valadao has a longhistory voting and advocating against health care tax credits that he acknowledged his constituents relied on for health care, saying that limiting credits was good to ensure “people have some skin in the game.”
- When Valadao finally voted for extension of ACA tax credits, he did so assuming the bill would not pass the Senate, worried about political consequences and people being angry with him. Valadao’s vote came too little too late and Californians in Valadao’s area experienced a large uptick in terminations of insurance coverage and steeper prices in 2026.
Message: Valadao claimed he would protect health coverage but voted to take it from Californians to give tax breaks to billionaires, putting political calculations above his district.
¶ Valadao Voted For Medicare Cuts That Would Harm California Seniors
- Valadao voted for the 2025 bill that would trigger $500 billion in cuts to Medicare absent future congressional action. Valadao also had historically voted for provisions that would increase prices or cut coverage for Medicare. Nearly seven million Californians relied on Medicare for health coverage.
Message: Valadao consistently voted to cut health care for California seniors depending on it.
¶ Valadao Voted To Take Food Assistance From Californians Who Relied On It To Afford Groceries
- Valadao claimed he would protect SNAP benefits during the Republican budget process and then voted for a bill that made the largest SNAP cut in history. His vote threatened food assistance for nearly 223,000 California households in the 22nd congressional district and California had already experienced a 6% decrease in SNAP participation from bill passage to March 2026. Valadao called these cuts that took food off the table of working Americans reasonable.
- Valadao had a history of voting for food assistance cuts in 2014’sbudget, 2018, and 2023, while he spent campaign funds at lavish restaurants.
Message: Valadao voted to take food assistance from Californians to give billionaires tax breaks.
¶ Valadao Supported Trump’s War In Iran That Raised Prices For Californians
- Valadao commended Trump’s “decisive action” against Iran and said that blaming Iran for the significant increase in fuel prices would be false. He repeatedly voted against ending hostilities, despite the increase in gas, fertilizer, and business costs for Californians.
Message: Valadao puts loyalty to party over ending an expensive war that is costing his constituents at home.
¶ Valadao Voted To Protect Trump’s Tariffs That Raised Costs On Californians
- Valadao repeatedly voted to protect Trump’s tariffs, including April 2025 when he was the deciding vote in favor of preventing oversight on tariffs on the same day that he said Congress should play a role in tariff decision making. Valadao claimed there “absolutely” was a place for tariffs and thanked Secretary of Agriculture Rollins for the tariffs that were hurting California farmers, businesses, and manufacturers.
- During Trump’s first administration, Valadao acknowledged the negative impacts of broad tariffs and said aid was insufficient to provide relief to farmers, urging the administration to reverse tariffs similar to those he is now protecting.
Message: Valadao voted to protect tariffs that were hurting Californians despite previously acknowledging their harm.
¶ Valadao Supported DOGE While They Cut Critical Programs In His District
- Valadao praised Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) while attempting to downplay the negatives and avoid criticisms, saying departments that provided “a service to the American people” were not actually shut down. DOGE-driven cuts and downsizing affected the federal government’s ability to deliver services to seniors. More than 104,000 Californians in Valadao’s district relied on Social Security benefits.
- Trump’s DOGE also eliminated programs for constituents in Valadao’s district in public health, food, housing, and utilities assistance, and teacher training and placement.
Message: Valadao supported an agency that hamstrung services that Californians in his district relied on.
¶ It Took Valadao 11 MONTHS TO VOTE TO RELEASE THE EPSTEIN FILES AND HE DID ONLY AFTER TRUMP GAVE REPUBLICANS PERMISSION
- In November 2025, after 11 months, Valadao finally voted to release the Epstein files, but only after Donald Trump gave House Republicans permission to do so. Previously, Valadao had cast multiple votes against releasing the Epstein files, protecting the accused pedophiles named within them. Valadao never signed the discharge petition that called for their release and he never co-sponsored Reps. Thomas Massie’s resolution calling for their release.
Message: It took Valadao 11 months to vote to release the Epstein files, and he did only after Trump gave Republicans permission.
¶ Valadao Touted Being The Only Dairy Farmer In Congress Despite His Farm Going Bankrupt, Being Named In A Labor Suit, And Held Primarily Responsible For The Loss Of Part Of A Workers Arm
- Valadao consistently names himself as the “only dairyman in Congress” and touts his chops as a farmer, but had to declare bankruptcy in 2019 due to significant unpaid debts by Triple V Dairy. Triple V Dairy was involved in an employment lawsuit accusing the farm of denying breaks, minimum wage violations, and overtime pay issues that was settled but not paid out due to the bankruptcy.
- Valadao Dairy was found mostly responsible for an accident in 2016 where a farm worker lost part of his arm while cleaning a machine, which an employee of the manufacturer testified he had explicitly told Valadao should be turned off while the worker was cleaning but the farm was unable to provide training records and Valadao’s response when asked if he understood the employer responsibility for employee training, he said, “Well, yeah, today.”
Message: Valadao brags about his experience as a dairy farmer but his dairy farming career was wrought with financial and employee mismanagement that ended with someone getting hurt.
¶ Issue Backups
¶ David Valadao's Policies Hurt Everyday Californians
Valadao Voted To Take Health Coverage From Californians
Valadao Voted To Make Massive Cuts To Medicare
Valadao Voted To Take Food Assistance From Californians
Valadao Defended Trump's Tariffs That Hurt Californians
Valadao Supported DOGE While It Cut Critical Programs In His District- 🪖 Valadao Backed Trump's Costly War With Iran That Raised Prices On Arizonans
One Of Valadao's Dairy Farms Was Accused Of Labor Violations And Another Was Found Responsible For A Major Injury
It Took Valadao 11 Months To Vote To Release The Epstein Files And He Did Only After Trump Gave Republicans Permission