Cox endorses Salas in race vs. Valadao
Former Democratic Congressman TJ Cox has endorsed candidate Rudy Salas for the seat he used to represent.
In a news release Wednesday, Cox said Salas represented the best chance Democrats had at flipping the seat from red to blue.
“No one knows their district better than Rudy,” Cox said in the release. “No one has delivered more for their district than Rudy. This year alone he has delivered over 50 million dollars for public safety, water and education. He’s raised wages for farmworkers and lowered healthcare costs for families. His track record as a fearless and independent representative for the Valley will serve him well in Congress.”
With the endorsement, Cox has formally removed himself from the election.
He had previously formed a political action committee to spur voter turnout and he told reporters he was waiting until district lines were redrawn before making a decision on running against Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, for California’s 21st Congressional District.
He represented CA-21 from 2019 to 2021, winning a narrow election over Valadao before losing another narrow election to the man he had previously beaten. A Fresno-based engineer and businessman, Cox was seen as one of the stronger candidates eyeing CA-21 for the 2022 election.
His endorsement of Salas, a Democrat state assemblyman representing an area that largely overlaps the congressional district, shows growing institutional support among prominent Democrats for the candidate.
“It’s an honor to call TJ a friend and supporter,” Salas said in a statement. “I know how our communities are better-off as a result of his service.”