Democrats dropped a new ad taking aim at Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) for supporting efforts to impeach former President Donald Trump following the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol — as part of an election tactic to dissuade GOP voters from backing their party’s candidate as Election Day looms.
The 30-second TV ad from Voter Protection Project, a group that supports Democratic candidates, warns Republican voters in California’s 22nd district that the five-term incumbent Valadao “turned his back on President Trump and the whole MAGA movement.”
The ad, which was released last week, continues with a clip of the California Republican saying: “We don’t need President Trump.”
It concludes with an ominous voiceover asking, “With a record like that, who needs David Valadao?”
The Valadao spot is part of a now-standard tactic used by Democrats to deter far-right voters from supporting Republican candidates in crucial races that could impact the House and Senate.
Democrats forked over more than $53 million to boost far-right Republican primary candidates in nine key states in 2022 — despite protesting the threat such candidates posed if they took office.
Valadoa is currently facing an uphill battle for re-election in his blue-leaning district against two-time challenger Rudy Salas, a Democrat, who is making his second attempt to flip the seat.
The GOP incumbent is trailing his Democratic challenger among likely voters by 2 points, 45% to 47%, with 8% undecided, according to polling conducted by The Hill.
Valadao is one of two House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump remaining in office, along with Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.).
Less than two weeks after the Jan. 6, 2023 riot, Valadao said he voted for impeachment because Trump “was, without question, a driving force in the catastrophic events that took place on Jan. 6.”
“[Trump’s] inciting rhetoric was un-American, abhorrent and absolutely an impeachable offense,” Valadao said on Twitter on Jan. 13, 2021.
