Rudy Salas (born March 12, 1977) is an American politician currently serving in the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...

. He is a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

representing the 32nd Assembly district, which encompasses Kings County and parts of northwestern

Kern County Kern County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 909,235. Its county seat is Bakersfield. Kern County comprises the Bakersfield, California, Metropolitan statistical area. The county sp ...

. Prior to being elected to the Assembly in 2012, he served on the

Bakersfield Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's populat ...

City Council. Salas was the Democratic nominee for

California's 22nd congressional district California's 22nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. It is represented by Connie Conway, who replaced former Representative Devin Nunes, who resigned on January 1, 2022, to become chief executive ...

2022 File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...

, losing to incumbent Republican

David Valadao David Goncalves Valadao ( ; born April 14, 1977) is an American politician and dairy farmer serving as the U.S. representative for California's 22nd congressional district since 2023. His district comprises part of the San Joaquin Valley. A me ...

Elections

2012

When incumbent Assemblyman

announced that he would not run for reelection, instead seeking a congressional bid for the 21st district, the seat was left vacant. In the June 5 primary, Salas ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination and won the overall primary with 41.4% of the vote, or 13,053 votes, ahead of the three

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

candidates. He faced off against the primary runner-up, Republican former

Delano Delano or DeLano may refer to: Places in the United States * Delano, California * Delano, Wichita, Kansas, a neighborhood in Wichita and former community before merging with Wichita * Delano, Minnesota * Delano, Nevada * Delano, Pennsylvania * De ...

Mayor Pedro Rios, in the November 6 general election. Salas came in first by a smaller margin than before, with 38,759 total votes (52.9%) to Rios's 34,476 (47.1%). He was sworn in on December 3, 2012.

2014

Salas ran for re-election in November 2014, again against former

Mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Pedro Rios, who defeated

Union

School Board A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...

trustee Romeo Agbalog in the June 2014 Republican primary election. He was described as a moderate Democrat, colloquially referred to as a "Valleycrat" by some. Salas won the rematch in the November 4 general election with 54.8% to Rios's 45.2%.

2016

Salas ran for a third term in 2016. He faced minimal opposition in the primary, with Republican Manuel Ramirez running a write-in campaign that garnered 1% of the primary vote. In the general election, Salas won his largest victory yet with 65% to Ramirez's 35%.

2018

Salas ran for a fourth consecutive term in 2018. He was challenged by Republican Hanford City Councilman Justin Mendes, a staffer for Congressman David Valadao (whom Salas succeeded in the Assembly in 2012).

2020

Salas ran for reelection and faced Republican Todd Cotta, a Hanford gun store owner in the primary.

Electoral history

California's 32nd State Assembly district California's 32nd State Assembly district is one of 80 California State Assembly districts. It is currently represented by Democrat Rudy Salas of Bakersfield. District profile The district is located in the southwestern Central Valley, an ...

, 2012 (Primary): * Rudy Salas – 13,053 (41.4%) * Pedro A. Rios – 7,550 (23.9%) * Jon McQuiston – 6,530 (20.7%) * David Thomas – 4,420 (14.0%)

, 2012: * Rudy Salas – 38,759 (52.9%) * Pedro A. Rios – 34,476 (47.1%)

, 2014 (Primary): * Rudy Salas (incumbent) – 11,577 (43.9%) * Pedro A. Rios – 9,183 (34.8%) * Romeo Agbalog – 5,628 (21.3%)

, 2014: * Rudy Salas (incumbent) – 26,721 (54.8%) * Pedro A. Rios – 22,031 (45.2%)

, 2016 (Primary): * Rudy Salas (incumbent) – 30,806 (98.9%) * Manuel Ramirez (write-in) – 334 (1.1%)

, 2016: * Rudy Salas (incumbent) – 53,056 (65.1%) * Manuel Ramirez – 28,502 (34.9%) California's 32nd State Assembly district, 2018: *Rudy Salas (incumbent) – 26,646 (67.96%) * Justin Mendez – 12,562 (32.04%)

References

External links

Rudy Salas for Congress
campaign website
Assemblymember Rudy Salas
official legislative website {{DEFAULTSORT:Salas, Rudy 1977 births 21st-century American politicians California city council members Candidates in the 2022 United States House of Representatives elections Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in California Living people Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly Politicians from Bakersfield, California University of California, Los Angeles alumni