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American politician (born 1977) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Rudy Salas | |
|---|---|
| |
| Member of the California State Assembly from the 32nd district | |
| In office December 3, 2012 – December 5, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Shannon Grove (redistricting) |
| Succeeded by | Vince Fong (redistricting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rodolfo Salas March 12, 1977 Bakersfield, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BA) |
| Website | Campaign website |
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]
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]
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]
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.
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]
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]
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]
Salas ran for reelection and faced Republican Todd Cotta, a Hanford gun store owner in the general election.[15]
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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]
Salas announced he would run again for Congress in 2024.[17]
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | ||||
| 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 | ||||
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