By California Black Media

In a statement, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber said she will appeal a California Superior Court decision that allows Republican Assemblymember Vince Fong (R-Bakersfield) to run for seats in the United States Congress and the California State Legislature at the same time in the March 2024 primary election.

“I strongly disagree with the outcome of this case, and I am gravely concerned about the consequences of today’s ruling,” Weber said. in a “I do agree, however, with the Court’s expressed concern that this ruling ‘may result in voter confusion and the disenfranchisement of voters if Fong is ultimately elected for both offices but does not retain one,’ and that it ‘defies common sense to find the law permits a candidate to run for two offices during the same election.”

Fong is running for the seat currently held by his one-time boss, former U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy (D-CA-20). He is also in the race to retain his current seat in the Assembly representing the 32^nd District, which covers parts of Kern and Tulare counties.

“Today’s ruling is a victory for the voters of the 20th Congressional District, who will now have the opportunity to select the candidate of their choice in the March 5th election,” Fong celebrated in a statement.

Weber says as California’s “Chief Election Officer,” she has a duty to protect the votes of Californians.

“As such, my office will appeal this ruling in an effort to ensure that voters in future elections will not become disenfranchised, be left without representation, or become subject to other unforeseen negative consequences that would erode confidence in our elections,” she said.

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