By David Lightman : sacbee – excerpt

Rep. David Valadao and other potentially vulnerable Republicans face a vote this week on a plan that could mean big cuts in Medicaid, a vote with the potential to be a big deal in 2026 congressional races.

The House is expected to take up a sweeping budget plan as soon as Tuesday that could mean large reductions in Medicaid. The program, called Medi-Cal in California, helps about 15 million people in the state.

Valadao’s district benefits like few others from the health care program, which aids lower income people.

The California Health Care Foundation, an independent nonprofit group that studies health issues, estimates that two-thirds of all residents in the district get help from Medi-Cal. Valadao represents a majority Latino district that includes most of Kings County and slices of Tulare and Kern counties…

Last week, Valadao joined seven other House Republicans by signing a lengthy letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.

They pointed out that nearly 30% of people on Medicaid across the country are Hispanic Americans.

“Slashing Medicaid would have serious consequences, particularly in rural and predominantly Hispanic communities where hospitals and nursing homes are already struggling to keep their doors open,” the letter said…

Valadao is a veteran of close House races over the years and has shown some streaks of independence from the Republican Party.

He was one of 10 Republican House members in 2021 to vote to impeach President Donald Trump. But he voted for a committee to look into the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and then later voted against it after complaining that the commission was stacked with Democrats. He has been largely silent on the riot since then.

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