Government & Politics

The Valley Votes – 2020 Elections Coverage

This year, Valley Public Radio is doing elections coverage differently. We’re asking listeners and residents, what do you want candidates to talk about? Are you concerned about healthcare, housing, or homelessness?We put out a survey from July through October to find out. More than 150 residents throughout the San Joaquin Valley took the survey.The most concerning issue for many is how the economy will recover from COVID-19. Others identified housing and homelessness in local communities as a major issue; others were most concerned for the environment. As we interview candidates and continue our election coverage, we’ll keep these responses in mind. You can keep up with our coverage on this page, or send questions about our process to Laura Tsutsui at ltsutsui@kvpr.org.

President Donald Trump To Visit Bakersfield Next Wednesday

KVPR | By Laura Tsutsui

Published February 13, 2020 at 11:52 AM PST

President Donald Trump last visited the San Joaquin Valley during a campaign rally in 2016.

A White House Official has confirmed to Valley Public Radio that President Donald Trump will be in Bakersfield on Wednesday. This will be Trump’s first visit to the San Joaquin Valley since his election campaign in 2016.

According to the White House, Trump will visit Kern County with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to give remarks to farmers about water supply and delivery in California and other Western states.

The Bakersfield stop is part of a West Coast tour the president is making next week. He will also visit Los Angeles on Tuesday to learn more about preparations for the 2028 Summer Olympics, and will be in Las Vegas on Thursday, where he will speak at the Hope for Prisoners Graduation Ceremony at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Headquarters.

Other members of his administration have traveled to the San Joaquin Valley before, including Vice President Mike Pence, who was in Lemoore last summer.

This story will be updated.