'McCarthy's McCarthy' Now Looks Like He'll Succeed Ex-Boss in Congress

Barely two weeks after state Assemblyman Vince Fong was barred from the ballot to succeed his mentor Kevin McCarthy in Congress, a just-issued ruling by a Sacramento County Superior Court judge gave a second chance to the Republican known as "McCarthy's McCarthy."

According to the ruling Thursday by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Shelleyanne Chang, the law under which the Secretary of State denied Fong access to the ballot for the special election to succeed McCarthy was outdated and no longer applied.

Previously, Fong was ruled ineligible to run for Congress on the grounds he was already listed on the ballot as a candidate for reelection to the Assembly.

As a result, the long-anticipated plan under which Fong would succeed McCarthy — in whose district office he worked before winning an Assembly seat — is back in place. The Bakersfield legislator is now well-positioned to win the former House speaker's seat in the primary March 5 (in which candidates of all parties appear on the same ballot and, if no one gets a majority, the top two vote-getters meet in a runoff).

Judge Chang's ruling came days after state Sen. Shannon Grove, a strong supporter of former President Donald Trump, opted against a bid for Congress. So Fong, 44, is an overwhelming favorite to win in the 20th District — considered the safest Republican seat of any in California.