STOCKTON, Calif. — Less than a month after announcing plans to seek election for California's new 13th Congressional District, Democrat and House Representative Josh Harder has announced that he will now be seeking re-election in the 9th District instead.
Harder's announcement comes on the heels of an announcement from Democrat representative Jerry McNerney who said Tuesday he will not seek reelection for his 9th District seat, ending his five-term tenure representing San Joaquin County in the U.S. House of Representatives.
McNerney did not provide a reason for his decision, but said in a statement, "I am very proud of the many accomplishments that my staff and I have achieved in Congress."
While some of the 9th District's borders moved during redistricting, the majority of the 9th District is still centered around San Joaquin County, encompassing cities such as Stockton, Tracy, Manteca, Ripon, and Escalon. The district also dips into southern portions of Sacramento County and eastern portions of Contra Costa County.
Harder, a Turlock native, already represents portions of Tracy, Manteca, Ripon, and Escalon, which were covered under his 10th District Congressional, before redistricting split the area.
In a statement, Harder praised McNerney's work in the district saying in part, "From delivering our veterans a VA clinic in French Camp to expanding broadband and helping close the digital divide, Rep. McNerney made our entire state proud."
Harder began representing District 10 in 2019, flipping the district from red to blue. During the most recent election in 2020, Harder won reelection to district 10 by winning 55% of the votes.
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