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Rudy Salas

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Rudy Salas
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 32nd district
In office
December 3, 2012 – December 5, 2022
Preceded byShannon Grove (redistricting)
Succeeded byVince Fong (redistricting)
Personal details
Born
Rodolfo Salas

(1977-03-12) March 12, 1977 (age 47)
Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles (BA)
WebsiteCampaign website

Rodolfo "Rudy" Salas[1] (born March 12, 1977) is an American politician who served in the California State Assembly from 2012 to 2022. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented the 32nd Assembly district, which encompasses Kings County and parts of northwestern Kern County. Prior to being elected to the Assembly, he was on the Bakersfield City Council.

Salas left his seat in the Assembly to run as the Democratic nominee for California's 22nd congressional district in 2022, losing to incumbent Republican David Valadao.[2][3] He is running again in a rematch against Valadao for the 22nd congressional district in 2024.[4]

Early life and education

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Salas was born and raised in Bakersfield, California.[5] He grew up in the southeast part of the city in a rough neighborhood[6] and was raised in a working-class family.[5] He helped his father who worked in the farm fields and in construction.[4] He went to South High School in Bakersfield.[5]

After graduating from high school, Salas attended the University of California, Los Angeles.[7] He earned a bachelor of arts degree in history and in political science in 2000.[8] He then worked at the White House under Vice President Al Gore for a year.[9]

Early career

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Following his time in Washington D.C., Salas returned to California and worked as a counselor for the Upward Bound Program at California State University, Bakersfield.[8] He later switched to government, and served as district director for State Senator Dean Florez from 2004 to 2010.[9]

Salas made history in 2010 by becoming the first Latino elected to the Bakersfield City Council.[6] Two years later, he was elected to represent Bakersfield in the California State Assembly, leaving the City Council to serve in Sacramento.[8]

California State Assembly

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Elections

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2012

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California's 32nd State Assembly district in green

When incumbent Assemblyman David Valadao announced that he would not run for reelection for California's 32nd State Assembly district, instead seeking a congressional bid, the seat was left vacant. In the June 5 primary, Salas ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination of the 32nd assembly district and won the overall primary with 41.4% of the vote, or 13,053 votes, ahead of the three Republican candidates. He faced off against the primary runner-up, Republican former Delano 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%).[10] He was sworn in on December 3, 2012.

2014

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Salas ran for re-election in November 2014, again against former Delano Mayor Pedro Rios, who defeated Delano Union School Board trustee Romeo Agbalog in the June 2014 Republican primary election.[11] He was described as a moderate Democrat, colloquially referred to as a "Valleycrat" by some.[11] He won the rematch in the November 4 general election with 54.8% to Rios's 45.2%.[11][12]

2016

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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, he won his largest victory yet with 65% to Ramirez's 35%.[13]

2018

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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).[14]

2020

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Salas ran for reelection and faced Republican Todd Cotta, a Hanford gun store owner in the general election.[15]

U.S. House campaign

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Elections

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2022

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2022 U.S. House election results

Salas left his seat in the State Assembly to run for California's 22nd congressional district in 2022. He was defeated by incumbent Republican David Valadao in a close race.[16]

2024

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Salas announced he would run again for Congress in 2024.[17]

Electoral history

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California's 32nd State Assembly district election, 2012
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rudy Salas 13,053 41.4
Republican Pedro A. Rios 7,550 23.9
Republican Jon McQuiston 6,530 20.7
Republican David Thomas 4,420 14.0
Total votes 31,553 100.0
General election
Democratic Rudy Salas 38,759 52.9
Republican Pedro A. Rios 34,476 47.1
Total votes 73,235 100.0
Democratic gain from Republican
California's 32nd State Assembly district election, 2014
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 11,577 43.9
Republican Pedro A. Rios 9,183 34.8
Republican Romeo Agbalog 5,628 21.3
Total votes 26,388 100.0
General election
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 26,721 54.8
Republican Pedro A. Rios 22,031 45.2
Total votes 48,752 100.0
Democratic hold
California's 32nd State Assembly district election, 2016
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 30,806 98.9
Republican Manuel Ramirez (write-in) 334 1.1
Total votes 31,140 100.0
General election
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 53,056 65.1
Republican Manuel Ramirez 28,502 34.9
Total votes 81,558 100.0
Democratic hold
California's 32nd State Assembly district election, 2018
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 16,690 50.4
Republican Justin Mendes 16,438 49.6
Total votes 33,128 100.0
General election
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 39,328 56.7
Republican Justin Mendes 30,089 43.3
Total votes 69,417 100.0
Democratic hold
2020 California's 32nd State Assembly district election
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 27,679 58.1
Republican Todd Cotta 19,957 41.9
Total votes 47,636 100.0
General election
Democratic Rudy Salas (incumbent) 63,450 60.0
Republican Todd Cotta 42,328 40.0
Total votes 105,778 100.0
Democratic hold
California's 22nd congressional district, 2022
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rudy Salas 25,337 45.2
Republican David Valadao (incumbent) 14,331 25.6
Republican Chris Mathys 13,111 23.4
Republican Adam Medeiros 3,250 5.8
Total votes 56,029 100.0
General election
Republican David Valadao (incumbent) 52,994 51.5
Democratic Rudy Salas 49,862 48.5
Total votes 102,856 100.0
Republican hold

References

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  1. ^ "Rodolfo Salas - Councilmember - Bakersfield | CalSalaries".
  2. ^ Jose Franco (October 18, 2021). "Rudy Salas announces candidacy for 22nd Congressional District". KGET.
  3. ^ Sam Morgen (October 18, 2021). "Rudy Salas announces bid for Congress". The Bakersfield Californian.
  4. ^ a b Bettis, Serena (September 9, 2024). "ELECTION 2024: Q&A with Congressional District 22 candidate Rudy Salas". The Sun-Gazette Newspaper. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c Nidever, Seth (May 19, 2012). "Salas follows path to public service". The Hanford Sentinel.
  6. ^ a b Gannon, Maddie (April 20, 2022). "A closer look at Kern's candidates: Rudy Salas". KGET.
  7. ^ "State Assembly 32nd District: Rudy Salas". The Hanford Sentinel.
  8. ^ a b c Dyke, Jonathan Van (November 30, 2015). "Assemblymember Salas Looks To Uplifting Effects of Higher Education". Government & Community Relations. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  9. ^ a b "JoinCalifornia - Rudy Salas". www.joincalifornia.com. Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  10. ^ "California Elections: Assembly District 32".
  11. ^ a b c Powell, Mark (November 4, 2014). "Salas beats Rios once again in 32nd District". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
  12. ^ "State Assembly Member District 32 District and County Results". California Election Results. November 21, 2014. Archived from the original on November 24, 2014. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  13. ^ "California Election Results 2016". The New York Times. November 8, 2016. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  14. ^ James Burger (March 8, 2018). "Justin Mendes, staffer for Congressman David Valadao, to challenge Assemblyman Rudy Salas". The Bakersfield Californian.
  15. ^ Steven Mayer (February 9, 2020). "Election 2020: Salas and Cotta to face off in March primary, but is it just a dress rehearsal for November?". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  16. ^ "Statement of vote" (PDF). January 16, 2023.
  17. ^ "Rudy Salas files candidacy for 22nd Congressional district seat in 2024". KGET 17. December 9, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
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California Assembly
Preceded by Member of the California State Assembly
from the 32nd district

2012–2022
Succeeded by