David Valadao
R · U.S. House, CA-22 · Tier 1/2
Tier 1/2, between “Firmly pro-Israel” and “Mainstream pro-Israel”
A moderate, frequently-bipartisan House Republican in a majority-Latino Central Valley seat — a top Democratic flip target — but firmly pro-Israel with no criticism of Israel’s conduct on record. AIPAC-backed and RJC-endorsed, he stood with Israel after Oct 7 and votes with the pro-Israel bloc (Israel aid supplemental Yea; original cosponsor of the stand-with-Israel resolution and of the Israel Security Assistance Support Act). In November he faces Democrat Randy Villegas, the Sanders-backed Israel critic who calls Gaza a genocide — so in this race Valadao is the pro-Israel side. In January 2024 he signed the Smith–Manning letter, whose signers “thoroughly reject” South Africa’s “charge of genocide” against Israel.
A firm 1/2. Unlike a record-thin challenger, Valadao is an incumbent with an actual pro-Israel voting record (Israel aid supplemental Yea, votes with the pro-Israel bloc), AIPAC backing, and an RJC endorsement, with zero Israel daylight. His well-known moderation and bipartisanship on domestic issues do not bear on Israel, so he stays firmly on the pro-Israel side. What holds him at 1/2 rather than a clean Tier 1 is that Tier 1 is for leaders, and his pro-Israel record is reliable rather than led. He has authored no Israel legislation, chairs nothing on the issue, and has never spent political capital to move Israel policy — he votes with the bloc and takes its backing. That is the 1/2 profile exactly: no daylight anywhere, and no leadership act either.
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elect26 places 2026 midterm candidates on a six-tier spectrum, from 1 (most pro-Israel) to 6 (most critical of Israel).