"California's Central Valley is home to most of the state's farmers. Many of them say they'll vote "No" on Prop 50, Gov. Gavin Newsom's plan to gerrymander the state to benefit Democrats in Congress. A MARTINEZ, HOST: Voters in California will decide on Tuesday whether to support Governor Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan intended to counter Republican efforts in Texas and other red states."
"Congressman David Valadao of the Central Valley is one of five at risk Republicans if Proposition 50 passes, and that worries some farmers in his district. Here's Kerry Klein with member station KVPR. (SOUNDBITE OF ROOSTER CROWING) KERRY KLEIN, BYLINE: Charles Meyer grows a cornucopia of crops on his 1,500 acres in Stratford in Kings County, California. CHARLES MEYER: We're growing wheat, we're growing alfalfa, we're growing almonds, we're growing pistachios."
"KLEIN: But this third-generation farmer has a clear favorite. (SOUNDBITE OF CROP CRINKLING) KLEIN: He plucks a white puffball off a short brown stock. MEYER: This is pima cotton. (SOUNDBITE OF CROP CRINKLING) MEYER: Normally they have three locks. See, there's one, two, three. Regular cotton usually has five locks, and they're bigger bolls. But this is very high-quality fiber. KLEIN: Kings County is one of three agricultural counties that make up District 22, represented by Republican Congressman David Valadao."
California's Central Valley contains most of the state's farmers, and many plan to vote No on Proposition 50. Proposition 50 is Governor Gavin Newsom's redistricting plan described as intended to benefit Democrats and to counter Republican efforts in other states. District 22 covers three agricultural counties including Kings County and supports dairy, vineyards, tomatoes, cotton and nut crops that generate billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs. Congressman David Valadao, a former dairy farmer first elected in 2012, faces the risk of losing his seat if the measure passes. Local farmers express loyalty to land-based representation and worry about disrupted local political ties.
Read at www.npr.org
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