Thanks to redistricting, much of northern Kings County, including Lemoore and Hanford, will get a new congressperson, and he’s likely (more like guaranteed) to be Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy in the 20th District.

Some of us were hoping that popular Salas would continue to oversee Lemoore and Kings County as our elected representative in Congress, but it’s not to be. However, Salas remains in spitting distance and, assuming he wins the 22nd Congressional District, will still certainly benefit Kings County.

Besides, Salas will represent most of Kings County minus the northern part. While its editor cannot vote for Mr. Salas, the Leader wishes him luck, and we endorse him in his bid for the House of Representatives.

The talented assembly member will also have to get by David Valadao, who also moved to the 22nd District. A big part of the 22nd is three-quarters of Kings County or the southern area.

McCarthy, a longtime legislator, is a winner, and he has a knack for entrenching himself in legislative leadership positions. As a member of the California Assembly, he quickly took on a leadership role. After his election to the House of Representatives, it wasn't long before McCarthy once again found himself in key leadership positions.

And suppose the longtime Bakersfield representative and his fellow Republicans take the House. In that case, our quiet little town at the intersection of highways 198 and 41 could very well be the home district of one of the most powerful men in the country.

The likelihood that McCarthy may lose his election certainly is remote. However, I can’t fathom that the grey-haired McCarthy will make Lemoore a regular stop on one of his district visits.

McCarthy has become so entrenched in the House that he really doesn’t have to campaign. He may as well phone in his speeches.

What concerns me about McCarthy is that he is not fit for the Speakership – or for the House of Representatives. Such a high office (the third in line for the presidency) should be preserved for those who tell the truth. There was a time that he did tell the truth, and it occurred during the January 2021 insurrection when the Bakersfield native said President Trump was responsible for the insurrection. A few days later, he changed his tune when he decided Trump was probably all that stood between him and the coveted speakership. And, quicker than you can say insurrection,  there he was, at Mara Lago posing with Trump, both of them with big smiles on their faces.