Water splits San Joaquin Valley farm vote for congressman

In the battle to replace retiring Rep. George Radanovich, few endorsements are more sought after than those from the San Joaquin Valley's influential agricultural community.

To date, the region's farmers and ranchers are fractured in their support, with the fault line running right down the valley's center.

Most of former Congressman Richard Pombo's agricultural support is coming from the valley's west side, particularly in the Westlands Water District.

State Sen. Jeff Denham and former Mayor Jim Patterson are finding a majority of their support from east side agriculture. Fresno City Council President Larry Westerlund is meeting with farmers and agricultural organizations and hopes to gain their support over the next few weeks.

"What is shaping up here is a nasty primary pitting a candidate supported by west side farmers vs. candidates supported by east side farmers," said Tom Holyoke, an assistant professor of political science at California State University, Fresno.

All four are seeking the Republican nomination. The district leans Republican, and the winner of the primary is widely expected to defeat the Democratic opponent in November.

Divisions between east side and west side agriculture are nothing new, and they mistrust one another over water. At one point, there was open feuding between the two after Westlands, which gets water primarily from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, filed a petition to take water from the San Joaquin River, the east side's primary water source.

Joel Nelsen, president of Exeter-based California Citrus Mutual, a trade group that has not endorsed any candidate, said it is vital for "the ag community, as much as possible, to get on the same page."

He noted that the valley will experience a huge political upheaval this year with several elected officials who had considerable seniority leaving office at the state and federal levels.

River health vs. irrigation

In the 19th Congressional District, getting on the same page is unlikely. Much of the east-west division in endorsements is focused on water.

Prominent Madera County farmer Kole Upton is supporting Patterson because his "first act in office" would be to initiate a plan to revise an agreement between farmers, environmentalists and the federal government to restore the San Joaquin River and its long-dead salmon run.

Upton, a director with the Chowchilla Water District, initially supported the agreement but now opposes it because, he said, the government, environmentalists and some of his allies reneged on the initial compromise.

"It is an east side issue that is going to kill us," Upton said. "The other guys on the west side don't even know or care about it."

Those on the west side are concerned about dwindling deliveries of delta water, which they trace to environmental decisions dealing primarily with the delta smelt. The decisions are tied to the federal Endangered Species Act.

Pombo, they say, is best equipped to fight that battle because he would return to Congress with full seniority. Patterson or Denham, by comparison, would enter as a freshman who would have little clout or experience with Washington politics.

Barry Bedwell, president of the California Grape and Tree Fruit League, which has not endorsed any candidate, said there is a sense of urgency on the west side that isn't felt by east side agriculture.

He said the east side knows the agricultural water supply is at risk, but the threat is not immediate. On the west side, "it is not theoretical. It is happening."