Election 2026

Independent, source-first accountability

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Issue record

Taxes, spending and the economy

In short

Villegas's campaign would tax the top 1 per cent, raise the $7.25 federal minimum wage and end what he calls pointless tariffs. Valadao's campaign wants a balanced budget, spending cuts and a fairer tax code. Valadao voted for the 2025 law, which raises the child credit to $2,200 and allows capped deductions for tips and overtime through 2028. He also voted for the 2025 and 2026 funding bills checked; earlier years were not checked.

Campaign positions

What each campaign says.

Randy Villegas

Would raise revenue by taxing the top 1 per cent of earners and wealth holders, raise the $7.25 federal minimum wage, end what he calls pointless tariffs, and break up monopolies while giving small businesses tax breaks.

David G. Valadao

His campaign says Washington must balance the budget and spend no more than it takes in, pairs spending cuts with a fairer tax code, opposes California's high-speed rail, and says regulation and taxes make it harder for small businesses to hire.

Evidence timeline

What the record shows.

  1. official action

    David G. Valadao: Matches stated record claim

    He voted for the 2025 and 2026 stopgap funding bills and the 2026 consolidated spending bill checked here; earlier years were not checked.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    In the October 6 KGET debate, Valadao said he is not one of those who shut down the government and that he votes to fund it. He voted Yea on the stopgap funding bills the House passed on March 11, 2025 (Roll Call 70, 217-213) and September 19, 2025 (Roll Call 281, 217-212), and on the Senate's version of the second, agreed to on November 12, 2025 (Roll Call 285, 222-209). He voted Yea on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 on February 3, 2026 (Roll Call 53, 217-214) and on a stopgap for fiscal 2027 on July 21, 2026 (Roll Call 272, 220-205). Limit: Only his 2025 and 2026 votes on stopgaps and the 2026 consolidated spending bill were checked. Earlier years were not.

  2. official action

    David G. Valadao: Matches stated direction

    The law lets workers deduct capped amounts of tips and overtime pay through 2028, raises the child credit from $2,000 to $2,200 and adds a $6,000 deduction for seniors.

    Read the full check

    Full detail

    After his final vote on the 2025 reconciliation bill, he said it eliminates taxes on tips and overtime, expands the Child Tax Credit and enhances deductions for seniors. He voted Aye on the final bill on July 3, 2025 (Roll Call 190), and it became Public Law 119-21. Workers can deduct up to $25,000 a year in tips and up to $12,500 in overtime pay ($25,000 on a joint return), counting only the part of overtime pay above their regular rate (sections 70201 and 70202). Both deductions shrink above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint) and end after 2028. The Child Tax Credit rises from $2,000 to $2,200 per child (section 70104). People 65 and over get an extra $6,000 deduction through 2028, reduced above $75,000 of income, or $150,000 on a joint return (section 70103). Limit: The tip and overtime breaks are capped deductions that end after 2028, so “eliminating” taxes on them overstates the law. The child credit and senior deduction are in the law as he says.

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Sources13 source records

How we use sources

  1. Issues: Jobs and the economyhttps://www.villegasforcongress.com/issues/jobs-the-economy

    Villegas for Congress · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled.

    candidate statement

    For: Randy Villegas: campaign position

  2. Issues: Cost of livinghttps://www.villegasforcongress.com/issues/healthcare

    Villegas for Congress · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled. The site's issue addresses do not match their titles: the page at /issues/healthcare is titled Cost of living, the page at /issues/immigration is Healthcare, and the page at /issues/immigration-1 is Immigration. The short summaries on the Issues index are unedited template text; the full pages were read.

    candidate statement

    For: Randy Villegas: campaign position

  3. Issues: Spendinghttps://valadaoforcongress.com/spending/

    Valadao for Congress · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled; undated. Cites a national debt of $23 trillion.

    candidate statement

    For: David G. Valadao: campaign position

  4. Issues: Jobs and the economyhttps://valadaoforcongress.com/jobs-and-the-economy/

    Valadao for Congress · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Campaign-controlled; undated. Refers to the 21st Congressional District.

    candidate statement

    For: David G. Valadao: campaign position

  5. KGET 17/KSEE24 CA-22 debate, Valadao on funding the government, 26:18https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlTfMhDMlpQ&t=1578s

    KGET 17 News, with KSEE24 · Published Oct 6, 2026 · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    26:32-26:39. Paraphrased, not quoted: one copy of YouTube's English captions; no second English transcript.

    candidate statement

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated record claim

  6. Roll Call 70, H.R. 1968, Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202570

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of March 11, 2025, read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID. Passed 217-213.

    official legislative record

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated record claim

  7. Roll Call 281, H.R. 5371, Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025281

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of September 19, 2025, read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID. Passed 217-212.

    official legislative record

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated record claim

  8. Roll Call 285, H.R. 5371, on concurring in the Senate amendmenthttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025285

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of November 12, 2025, read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID. Agreed to 222-209.

    official legislative record

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated record claim

  9. Roll Call 53, H.R. 7148, Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, on concurring in the Senate amendmentshttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/202653

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of February 3, 2026, read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID. Agreed to 217-214.

    official legislative record

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated record claim

  10. Roll Call 272, H.R. 9770, continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2027, on passagehttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2026272

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Oct 10, 2026

    Recorded vote of July 21, 2026, read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID. Passed 220-205.

    official legislative record

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated record claim

  11. Congressman Valadao Releases Statement After House Budget Reconciliation Votehttps://valadao.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3103

    Office of Congressman David G. Valadao · Published Jul 3, 2025 · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    His congressional office's press release on his final vote for H.R. 1, in his own words. It makes several claims about what he secured in the law.

    candidate statement

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated direction

  12. Public Law 119-21 (H.R. 1, 119th Congress)https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/PLAW-119publ21/html/PLAW-119publ21.htm

    U.S. Government Publishing Office · Published Jul 4, 2025 · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    The enacted text, read in full from GovInfo. Used for sections 50501 (water conveyance and storage), 71112 (retroactive coverage), 71119 (community engagement requirement) and 71401 (Rural Health Transformation Program). Also used for sections 50101 (onshore lease sales), 70103, 70104, 70201 and 70202 (senior deduction, child credit, tips, overtime), and 70512 and 70513 (wind and solar credits).

    official legislative record

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated direction

  13. Roll Call 190, H.R. 1, on concurring in the Senate amendmenthttps://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2025190

    Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · Reviewed Sep 23, 2026

    Recorded vote of July 3, 2025, read from the Clerk's roll-call XML by his member ID. Agreed to 218-214; the bill became law the next day.

    official legislative record

    For: David G. Valadao: Matches stated direction