Field of Candidates Grows for Congressional Seat

The 21st district includes all of Kings County, and portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.  This is the same race that democrat Michael Rubio pulled out of a couple months ago.  Now two democrats from Fresno are vying for the job, as well as a republican Assemblyman from Hanford.

A third candidate will be Xiong, who said Sunday night by phone he's all but filed the paperwork.

“It's looking very good, that's all I can tell you.  It's looking very good,” said Xiong.

But CBS47 political analyst Don Larson says entering a race this late in the game stacks the odds against Xiong.

“The decision has to be made and he has to start campaigning.  We're already past the middle of February,” said Larson.

Fresno city councilman Larry Westerlund ran for congress in 2010, but said fundraising was nearly impossible.  He wishes Xiong the best of luck.

“For a city council member to try to raise the kind of money that's needed, unless you have the party apparatus pulling behind you, it is a very, very difficult chore,” said Westerlund.

Also in the race, Central California Hispanic Chamber C.E.O. John Hernandez, a democrat, and republican Assemblyman David Valadao, the only candidate who lives in the 21st district.  Valadao says bringing jobs to an area with some of the country's highest unemployment numbers is his top priority.

“[I want to] focus on getting water to the district, creating jobs and creating a business environment that allows the private sector to create those jobs that we so desperately need,” said Valadao.

Hernandez did not respond to CBS47’s request for comment.  All three candidates will battle it out in the June primary.  The top two vote-getters, regardless of political party, will move forward in the November general election.