Newsom announces special election date for McCarthy’s seat

The special election to fill former Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) seat will be held on May 21, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Monday.

McCarthy, who represented California’s 20th Congressional District, resigned from Congress last month following his ouster from the Speakership. In an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal, McCarthy wrote in December that he was leaving the House to “serve America in new ways” and that he would “continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office.” 

The special election for the district — which covers parts of Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties — has drawn a crowded field, including Assemblymember Vince Fong (R), a protege and mentee of McCarthy’s whom the former House Speaker has endorsed.  

California Secretary of State Shirley Weber (D) initially blocked Fong from running for McCarthy’s seat given that Fong had also previously filed to run for his Assembly seat again, but a California judge later ruled he could be placed on the ballot for McCarthy’s seat in addition to his Assembly seat. Weber has said she will appeal that ruling.  

California operates an open primary system, so all candidates, regardless of party, are listed under one ballot. The two top vote-getters in the primary advance to the general election, meaning two Republicans or two Democrats could proceed in the general election.  

McCarthy’s district is reliably red, having gone to former President Trump by 25 points in 2020.