Water Outshines Trump/Clinton As California Election Issue

In drought-plagued regions of California, the political conversation is dominated by something other than Trump and Clinton.

The Los Angeles Times recently reported: “In California’s Central Valley, the nation’s most productive agricultural region, the drought drives everything. And the ongoing fight over how much water flows could be the reason Democrats haven't been able to win in the 21st Congressional District with a national race.”

In this area, U.S. Representative David Valadao, a Republican, is running for his third term against Democrat Emilio Huerta. The race shows how local water issues are overshadowing national issues in some drought-plagued congressional districts.

“Unlike other parts of the state, where Republicans are suffering thanks to Donald Trump’s place at the top of the ticket on Nov. 8, Rep. David Valadao renounced Trump early and has been able to keep his reelection campaign local,” the report said.

“California’s often scarce water supply has pitted a wide array of powerful forces — big cities, the agriculture industry and conservationists — against one another. Nowhere in the state is that quite as visible as in the Central Valley,” the report said.

The conventional wisdom of this election would suggest that Valadao could lose to a Democrat this year. And yet Valadao has been favored to win, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Valadao says his constituents have water on their minds.

“No matter what I do, what event I do, if it’s a tele-town hall, if it’s a door-knock, doesn’t matter where I’m at, water is the first thing you hear about,” Valadao said, per the report. “A basic thing like water shouldn’t be the number one issue, but because of the situation that we face here it obviously is.”

Valadao is emphasizing water policy as he runs for reelection. He sponsored the Western Water and American Food Security Act of 2015, which passed the House last year but has failed to gain Senate approval.

That’s a big talking point for Valadao’s Republican backers. National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Zack Hunter told The Fresno Bee: “Luckily for local farmers and families, David Valadao doesn’t just have a bipartisan plan to bring water to the Valley; he’s gotten it passed through the House of Representatives.”

Valadao’s Democratic opponent, Huerta, has argued “that the Central Valley can’t wait on a water bill that Democrats aren’t willing to pass. He said a Democratic representative would have an easier time reaching a compromise, especially given the current 39-14 domination the party has in California’s delegation,” the Los Angeles Times reported.

“The ability to reach across the table and get bipartisan support for real water legislation is required, and that hasn’t taken place here,” Huerta said, per the report. “Having any congressional representative who is willing to work on a bipartisan basis will be more successful than one who doesn’t even take into consideration the impact that a water delivery system may have on other stakeholders.”

After initially supporting Trump, Valadao released a statement in June saying he had decided to change directions.

“I am disappointed with the divisive rhetoric coming from this Presidential Election and cannot support either candidate,” Valadao said in the statement released June 22, per The Fresno Bee.

To read more about drought issues visit Water Online’s Source Water Scarcity Solutions Center.