Fong running for California Assembly
taftmidwaydriller.com | January 7, 2016 –
Vince Fong is running for the California Assembly.
The long-time aide to Republican Congressman Kevin McCarthy announced Thursday he will run for the 34th assembly district seat that will be vacated when Assemblywoman Shannon Grove is termed out in 2018.
Fong, a Bakersfield native, has worked for McCarthy for nearly a decade and is now the district director for the Congressional majority leader.
He made the announcement at a press conference outside the Kern County administrative offices.
“I have worked for years on the issues facing the Central Valley and have watched in decisions are made in Sacramento that threaten our values and our way of life,” he said.
He describes himself as a taxpayer advocate and community leader.
He vowed to fight for lower taxes and limited government.
Fong has already received endorsements from McCarthy and Grove.
Grove has already announced plans to run for the California State Senate.
“There is no person I trust to fight more for Kern County than Vince Fong,” McCarthy said.
“Vince has worked for years on solutions to the Central Valley’s biggest problems,” Grove said. “He’s home grown, a Kern County native who is sharp and a proven taxpayer advocate.
Fong graduated from West High School, then received a bachelor’s degree at UCLA and a master’s degree from Princeton University.
Fong started on the staff of McCarthy’s predecessor, Bill Thomas, who was then chairman of the House Ways and Means committee.
He transitioned to McCarthy’s staff and worked his way up to his current post.
The 34th assembly district covers much of Kern County in a including the West Side, metropolitan Bakersfield, Lake Isabella and the Ridgecrest area.
It is heavily Republican, with 46.65 percent of the 217,803 voters registered as Republicans and 27.37 registered was Democrats.
Grove was reelected in 2014 with nearly 75 percent of the votes.