Fong, 45, beat out native sheriff Mike Boudreaux in a run-off race on Might 22. His swearing-in brings the Home breakdown to 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats, permitting for simply two GOP defections on party-line laws.
Fong will now serve in Congress for the subsequent seven months and have the incumbent benefit within the November election.
The Bakersfield Assemblyman is a former prime aide of McCarthy, who retired in December after being ousted from the speakership, a task he labored his complete profession to attain and held for 9 months.
McCarthy was current on the ground for Fong’s swearing-in and was applauded by most Republicans – besides his Freedom Caucus detractors as Fong thanked him.
Speaker Mike Johnson swore in Rep. Vince Fong to switch Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday in a lift for Home Republicans’ razor-thin majority
‘I need to thank my spouse, Amanda, for her love and help. I need to thank my dad and mom, my mother-in-law, my sister and all of our household for all the time being by my facet, and a particular acknowledgement to my niece Evie, who’s celebrating her ninth birthday with us right now. I additionally need to particularly thank my mentor and good friend, Speaker Kevin McCarthy.’
Fong, 44, served as McCarthy’s district director for greater than a decade.
McCarthy had taken the seat in 2007 after the retirement of his former boss, Rep. Invoice Thomas, then chairman of the highly effective Home Methods and Means Committee. Fong labored for Thomas alongside McCarthy for a time.
The total power of McCarthy’s marketing campaign {dollars}, fundraisers, consultants and affiliated PACs made the race in opposition to Boudreaux not notably shut.
Fong additionally gained former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, with McCarthy’s assist, in a district the place 47 p.c of registered voters are Republicans and 27 p.c are Democrats.
Fong will face off in opposition to Boudreaux once more within the November race for the complete time period.
Fong, 45, beat out native sheriff Mike Boudreaux in a run-off race on Might 22. His swearing-in brings the Home breakdown to 218 Republicans and 213 Democrats, permitting for simply two GOP defections on party-line laws
Fong pictured together with his spouse Amanda
Fong laid out his priorities in his first speech on the Home ground:
‘We have to tackle the border disaster, cease the rising prices of on a regular basis necessities which might be squeezing household budgets, and work to maintain our group protected. We should strengthen our crumbling infrastructure, discover long run options to water and vitality assets, particularly out west, and create extra profession and academic alternatives. We should help our navy installations.’
He acknowledged the divisiveness of this Congress whereas calling for collaboration.
‘I actually anticipate passionate discourse that’s anticipated of us. There are actually no scarcity of challenges dealing with our nation, my state of California and my district, however that is additionally the second the place we collectively can take advantage of constructive influence.’
