Riverbank candidate expected to face McClintock in long-shot bid for House seat
Riverbank’s Michael Masuda has become Tom McClintock’s newest rival in a long-shot bid to flip one of the most conservative House districts blue.
As of Thursday, Masuda had 23% of the votes for California’s 5th House District seat, moving him forward to the Nov. 3 General Election. McClintock has a large majority of the vote at 63%, which he is expected to duplicate in November.
Tuesday night, Masuda celebrated moving onto the general election. He, his wife Brittany and members of his campaign staff gathered at the North Valley Labor Federation in downtown Modesto.
“I’m feeling good so far,” Masuda said Tuesday evening.
In the Proposition 50 partisan gerrymander, McClintock was one of the few conservatives whose district became even redder as he gained parts of the mountainous eastern regions of the state near the Nevada border.
Masuda garnered 22% of the vote in Stanislaus County as of Wednesday and McClintock had 61%.
Mike Barkley, the Manteca Democrat who has run unsuccessfully against McClintock in the last two general elections, was pushed to the sidelines following an endorsement of Masuda by local and statewide Democrats. He received 9% of the vote in early returns statewide, with 10% in Stanislaus County.
Barkley declined to comment about the early results. Dan Stroud, another Democrat in the race, had 5% of the vote statewide as of Thursday.
Leah Waters, campaign manager and high school friend of Masuda’s, said they held a massive number of town halls leading up to election night. “Michael’s out there, he’s doing the work,” Waters said. “We’re feeling pretty confident about being able to really solidify his position moving into the general.”
Modesto-area progressives and other residents within the district have decried McClintock’s lack of in-person town halls and engagement with constituents, which fueled Masuda’s campaign.
“Are you ready to kick out a do-nothing incumbent?” Masuda asked the crowd at the Democratic watch party on Tuesday. “Are you ready to show Democrats can win in the reddest districts across the country?”
Masuda said he was grateful to his campaign volunteers and expects it take some time for all the ballots to be counted.
“There’s going to be more to come,” he said.
McClintock’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
