The Abridged version:
- Sacramento City Council member Mai Vang jumped ahead in the primary race to represent Sacramento in Congress, landing more than 3,000 votes ahead of longtime U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui.
- The two are now set to face off in November’s general election.
- Their race in District 7, encompassing Sacramento, El Dorado and San Joaquin counties, centered on issues of age and immigration policy.
Mai Vang, Sacramento City Council member and Democrat, is the second candidate to clinch a place in the November election to represent Sacramento in Congress.
And as of Tuesday afternoon, she was in the top spot, roughly 3,500 votes ahead of fellow Democrat and longtime U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui.
Matsui, who has been in Congress since 2005, took the early lead in last week’s primary. She maintained that top spot in the days after, securing her position on November’s ballot on Friday.
Vang was consistently in the running for second place, aside from a 24-hour blip in which Republican and 25-year-old Zachariah Wooden jumped just ahead of her.
But in a major results update a week after Election Day, Vang surged to the top position.
She and Matsui are competing to represent an area that spans parts of Sacramento, El Dorado and San Joaquin counties.
In Sacramento County, the bluest of the three areas, Vang had nearly 10,000 more votes than Matsui by Tuesday.
“For years, families here have been told to be patient and trust experience because things would get better,” Vang said in a statement following the new results. “After twenty years, families are living paycheck to paycheck, people of my generation are no closer to owning a home, and you still can’t afford a doctor visit.”
The council member has campaigned on a message of generational change and opposition to federal immigration policies.
“This lead shows our message is connecting,” Vang said.
In reaction to the primary leaderboard shake-up, a spokesperson for Matsui’s campaign said they are looking on to November.
“I’m confident that my record of delivering for this community and my vision for the future – more affordable lives, better health care, and holding Donald Trump accountable – will earn the trust of voters for another term in Congress,” Matsui said in a statement.
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.