While ex-Riverbank Mayor Virginia Madueno originally said no to a run against California GOP Rep. Jeff Denham, she recently told the Turlock Journal that she’s reconsidering now that she’s received encouragement from local and national groups. Madueno says she plans to decide by July, but she’s said she’s on a “listening tour,” and that Trumpcare (which Denham supported) has only encouraged her to run even more. Madueno, who describes herself as a moderate, ran for the state Assembly last year in a conservative Central Valley seat, but took third place in the top-two primary against two Republicans.
If Madueno challenges Denham, she’ll need to fight her way through another top-two primary. Investor Josh Harder and emergency room nurse Dotty Nygard, who is a former city councilor from Riverbank, are both already running. Denham pulled off wins in 2012 and 2016 even as Team Blue’s presidential nominees were narrowly carrying his Modesto-area seat, and he won’t be easy to defeat. However, a familiar opponent may also be considering getting in.
Former astronaut Jose Hernandez expressed interest in a 2018 bid over a year ago, and the Modesto Bee’s Jeff Jardine writes that Hernandez “is making the kinds of public appearances that would suggest he might be gearing up to challenge Denham again next year, though he hasn’t yet declared.” Denham beat Hernandez 53-47 in 2012 as Obama was winning California’s 10th District 51-47.