Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) has won reelection in California’s 22nd congressional district, moving Republicans closer to 218 seats, the number they will need to hold the majority.

As of midnight November 8 Eastern time, Republicans needed just two more seats to win the majority.

Valadao is popular in his Central Valley district, where agricultural issues are paramount. He has focused on securing water rights for farms and municipalities in the area. Crucially, Valadao has won there with support from the Latino community — even before Hispanic voters began trending Republican.

He was ousted for one term in 2018, after Democrats pioneered the use of “ballot harvesting,” which was legal for the first time in that election. He came back in 2020 to reclaim his seat.

Photo: Reuters