Working smarter to build Central Valley Matters’ strategy for 2026
The Central Valley’s orchards provide 75% of the fruit and nuts to the nation. The Central Valley produces 1/4 of the nation’s food.
Two members of our CVM team recently traveled to CD22 and met with about 30 members of community groups and Democratic party activists. One key takeaway from these talks: Focused messaging on the issues that matter to the local communities needs to be year-round, every year, to have impact — and that is one of the important roles that CVM’s grassroots groups can fulfill.
Overall feedback from these meetings, described below, will inform our efforts to work smarter for stronger voter turnout in the future.
National headwinds
CD22, as in many other races across the country, was impacted by national headwinds. These issues are well-known: the swing by Latino voters in favor of Trump and Republicans generally (CD22 is 73.2% Hispanic); the US’s role in the Gaza war; Trump’s pounding on the “threat” posed by trans people, and other lies designed to paint Democrats as extreme and out of touch.
And, above all, there was the economy: the high cost of groceries, gas and housing was on the minds of voters. Voters believed that these costs were all lower and better under Trump. People wanted change, and Democrats in CD22 were seen as the party of the “status quo, extremes and elites.”
Poor youth turnout
58% of CD22 residents are under the age of 35. Many young people see the American Dream dying for them—they can’t make enough money to rent their own place or buy a house or have children. They asked what’s the point in voting since nothing is getting better for them.
Disinformation and social media
Disinformation — rampant in CD22 on social media, Fox News, etc. — kept people from voting. They did not want to vote for either CD22 candidate (Democrat Rudy Salas or Republican incumbent Valadao) or they were so confused about what was true that they just didn’t vote. They thought that both parties were corrupt since the attack ads in the last month or two were so prevalent. The negative ads hurt Salas, especially the false claim that he voted to increase the gas tax.