Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders visited Bakersfield Sunday night, drawing a large crowd inside Harvey Auditorium at Bakersfield High School as part of a 3-day tour through California.The stop was in support of Randy Villegas, the De mocratic challenger running against Republican Congressman David Valadao in California's 22nd Congressional District. Sanders called on voters to support progressive candidates."We have to elect people like Randy. When the Democrats control the House and the Senate, they're going to stand with the working class with a bold agenda," Sanders said.One of the biggest issues discussed throughout the night was healthcare. Both Sanders and Villegas criticized Valadao after he voted in favor of President Trump's "Big Beautiful Bill" in 2025. The legislation is projected to reduce federal spending on Medicaid and other health programs by more than $1 trillion over 10 years."You have a congressman who, in this district, which has the highest percentage of Medicaid recipients of any congressional district in America, voted to throw 70,000 people off Medicaid in order to give a huge tax break to the 1%," Sanders said.Valadao previously released a statement in 2025 explaining his vote in favor of the bill."Ultimately, I voted for this bill because it does preserve the Medicaid program for its intended recipients - children, pregnant women, the disabled, and elderly...No piece of legislation is perfect, but this bill ultimately reflects the priorities of CA-22 - lower taxes, stronger farms, better infrastructure, and a commitment to protecting access to healthcare for Valley residents," Valadao said.Sunday's event came just days after House Speaker Mike Johnson visited Bakersfield to support Valadao's reelection campaign. Villegas took aim at Johnson's visit, questioning how accessible Valadao is to the people he represents."That rally was preceded by a roundtable that cost $1000 to attend. Our working families shouldn't have to buy a minute of their representative's time," Villegas said.Sanders also addressed the cost of living, campaign financing, and the potential impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and privacy. He closed his speech by encouraging supporters to back Villegas, saying the country needs change.The General Election takes place on November 3.This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.Stay 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