In a show that shows how controversial

the race for

former

House

Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s district has become President Trump weighed in on Tuesday, offering his support to Assemblyman Vince Fong.

Former district director for McCarthy

his fellow Republican from Bakersfield,

Fong threw his hat into the ring to replace him shortly after the ousted speaker resigned in December. Fong has already secured other major endorsements, including from McCarthy, and appears to be the frontrunner for the 20th Congressional District seat.

“In Congress, Vince will work with me to grow the economy, lower your taxes, reduce burdensome regulations, defend American energy, and protect and defend the Second Amendment, which is under siege from the radical left,” said Trump in a statement. “Now is the time to unite around Vince Fong and elect a true Republican to this seat.”

Fong is running against a slew of other candidates in one of California’s most Republican districts, which includes parts of Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties.

One of his rivals, Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, recently received the endorsement of Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield), who has long represented the county in the Legislature; and David Giglio, a self-described “America First” candidate who dropped out of the race after modeling his campaign after Trump’s.

In a statement thanking Trump, Fong said: “The Central Valley is fed up with the Biden administration’s failures. We are ready to once again have leaders in DC, like President Trump, who will fight for our interests and values.”

Fong’s run for Congress initially ran into a problem with Secretary of State Shirley Weber

a democrat,

said he could not run for two offices at the same time; Fong was already seeking re-election to the General Assembly. A judge overruled Weber, saying that while allowing Fong to run for two offices is “somewhat contrary to common sense,” the politician had a right to try.

Weber, a Democrat, appealed. The status is unclear

Voters will vote twice for a representative of the state’s 20th Congressional District, first on March 5, in the primary for the two-year term beginning in January 2025, and then in a special election on March 19 for the remainder of McCarthy’s term.