Valadao is eyeing a second straight term, this time in the 22nd Congressional District, encompassing southern Kings County, Tulare, and Kern counties. However, as of yesterday, there were approximately 100,000 votes still to be counted in Kern County. Salas, in past elections, has put up big numbers in Kern County, his home base.

Salas was certainly ahead early in the popular vote in Kern County, where he outpolled Valadao 51.4% to 48.6%. Valadao rolled up positive numbers early in Kings and Tulare counties. Valadao outpolled Salas on election night 57.3% to 42.7% in Kings County and was ahead 59.5% to 40.5% in Tulare County.

In her bid for another term, Senator Melissa Hurtado was in a close race to newcomer David Shepard in a close contest in which the Republican was ahead of the incumbent 52.6% to 47.4%. Districtwide, Shepard was ahead with 33,620 votes to Hurtado’s 30,263.

Shepard was also ahead in Kings County, outpolling Hurtado 11,901 votes to 8,103, a 59.5% to 40.5% advantage. He edged Hurtado 52.3% to 47.7% in Tulare County, and in Kern County, Hurtado won, amassing 10,875 votes to Shepard’s 8,215.