BY VICTOR PATTON
Merced Focus
Hardly a year has passed since the nail-biter election in Congressional District 13 – and there’s already a growing list of contenders looking to unseat incumbent Democratic Rep. Adam Gray.
One of those candidates is expected to bring a nationally-known name to Merced next week.
Vin Kruttiventi, a Lathrop tech CEO and Republican, is hosting former Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at the Merced Senior Community Center for a “Rally to Save California.”
Organizers of the rally say the event is to galvanize Republican support to oppose Proposition 50, a ballot measure spearheaded by Gov. Gavin Newsom that would authorize temporary use of new congressional districts in California in response to gerrymandering in Texas.
The event is being hosted by the Republican Party of Merced County, although the local party has not yet endorsed a candidate for Congressional District 13.
Brett Martinez, political director for Kruttiventi’s campaign, said Kruttiventi knows Gaetz from meeting him in Washington D.C.
“He’s just a large national figure aligned with the MAGA movement and just a great draw for a great cause,” Martinez told The FOCUS, when asked why Gaetz was chosen as the event’s keynote speaker.
“He’s a firebrand. He jumps out there at you when he speaks,” said Gene Johnson Jr., chair of the Republican Party of Merced County and president of the Merced County Republican Assembly.
Anyone who has taken even a passing interest in politics will know Gaetz is no stranger to controversy, which has included a Justice Department investigation on accusations of sex trafficking and conflicts with members of his own party.
Gaetz had been the focus of a House Ethics Committee report, though he was never charged by the Justice Department.
Gaetz is one of the highest-profile MAGA Republicans and an ardent defender of President Donald Trump. He resigned his seat late last year after he was nominated by Trump to be U.S. attorney general. Gaetz eventually withdrew his candidacy.
But leaving Congress hasn’t taken Gaetz away from the headlines, as he’s still making waves on podcasts and his own program, “The Matt Gaetz Show,” which airs on OAN.
Organizers of the rally said they aren’t concerned about the controversy Gaetz has stirred on both sides of the political aisle.
Martinez told The FOCUS the “people don’t seem to mind” that controversy and response to the RSVP list for the event has already been overwhelming. “We’re pretty close to filling up the whole thing,” Martinez said.
Who’s in the 13th Congressional District race?
In terms of who will ultimately face off against Gray, a self-described “Blue Dog” Democrat,” the list of candidates is far from being finalized.
Candidates have until March to file for the June 2 primary. The top two vote getters in the primary, regardless of party, will proceed to the Nov. 3 general election.
With nearly eight months to go before the primary, Kruttiventi is aggressively fundraising.
Since the beginning of this year he’s raised nearly $487,000, according to the Federal Elections Commission website.
Javier Lopez, the Republican mayor of Ceres and another declared GOP candidate, has raised about $142,000 during the same period. The FEC shows a Merced resident named Alberto Escobedo has filed a statement of candidacy to run in the race, though no financial contributions for him are accessible on the FEC site.
The FEC site also shows a candidate named Angelina Sigala has filed to run, but no financial statements are available.
Gray defeated Republican John Duarte last year in a rematch for the 13th Congressional District seat, scraping out a slim victory with under 200 votes – the last race to be called for the House.
If Prop. 50 passes in California on Nov. 4, it could dramatically change congressional districts in California in favor of Democrats. The 13th Congressional District is a key region for both parties, as it has a high percentage of nonpartisan and swing voters that neither side can take for granted.
CalMatters reports that Prop. 50 could redraw the state’s congressional districts in a way that would increase the odds of Democrats gaining five seats in the House of Representatives.’’
Newsom proposed Prop. 50 in order to offset a Republican attempt in Texas to gerrymander five seats in favor of themselves.
About the “Rally to Save California“
Organizers say the event is free to the public, but RSVP is required to attend by emailing Brett@vin4congress.com. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the event is scheduled for 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.. The Merced Senior Community Center is located at 755 W. 15th St. in Merced.
