Republican incumbent David Valadao maintained a commanding lead in California's 22nd Congressional District primary election, while Democrats continued to await final results to determine which candidate will advance to challeng e him in November.The race for the Central Valley district has drawn national attention as one of the key battleground seats Democrats hope to flip in their effort to regain control of the U.S. House of Representatives.As of Friday, Valadao held approximately 44% of the vote, far ahead of the rest of the field. The congressman, who has represented the district in six of the last seven election cycles, said he was grateful for the support he received from voters."I'm once again humbled to receive the support of so many voters across the Central Valley," Valadao said in a statement. "I'll continue working hard to earn your support again in November."The remaining question in the race is which Democrat will advance under California's top-two primary system.Early returns showed Democratic candidates Dr. Jasmeet Bains and Dr. Randy Villegas in a close contest for second place. However, Villegas' lead widened with subsequent ballot counts released throughout the week.As of Friday, Villegas had received approximately 30% of the vote, compared with 25% for Bains.Villegas, a Fresno State professor and congressional candidate, pointed to support from local Democratic leaders across the district."We had the endorsement of all four local Democratic Party chairs in Kern, Tulare, Kings and Fresno counties," Villegas said. "I think that speaks volumes because politics is local."The contest between Bains and Villegas also highlighted divisions among Democratic organizations. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee endorsed Bains roughly one month before the primary election, while several local Democratic leaders backed Villegas.Despite not receiving the national party committee's endorsement, Villegas said Friday that he would welcome support from Democrats across the political spectrum should he advance to the general election."To those voters, and to every constituent in the Central Valley whether they voted for me or not, know that there is a place for you in this campaign," Villegas said. "We are going to fight for you every single day."Bains' campaign urged patience as election officials continue processing ballots."As we often see in California elections, counting every vote takes time," the campaign said in a statement. "Getting the vote right is more important than getting it fast, and I appreciate all of the election workers across five Valley counties who will be busy processing ballots in the coming days."The statement added that the campaign remains "energized, encouraged and confident in our path forward" as officials continue counting votes.While Bains initially led Villegas in Kern County, updated results released Friday showed Villegas narrowly overtaking her in the county's vote totals. The margin between the two candidates remained close.County election officials across the district must finalize their official election results by July 2. The California Secretary of State's Office is expected to certify statewide election results on July 10.The winner of the race for second place will face Valadao in the November general election.verStay in Touch with Us Anytime, Anywhere: Download Our Free App for Apple and Android Sign Up for Our Daily E-mail Newsletter Like Us on Facebook Follow Us on Instagram Subscribe to Us on YouTube ...read more read less