CQ Risk Rating: Safe Republican 
| GENERAL ELECTION: NOVEMBER 7, 2000 |
|
| Bill Thomas (R) | 142,539 | 72% |
| Pedro Martinez (D) | 49,318 | 25% |
| James Manion (LIBERT) | 7,243 | 4% |
| PRIMARY ELECTION: MARCH 7, 2000 |
|
| | Votes | Percentage | | Democratic |
| Pedro Martinez | 29,511 | 22% |
| | Libertarian |
| James Manion | 5,430 | 4% |
| | Republican |
| Bill Thomas | 98,088 | 74% |
Source: Congressional Quarterly. To suggest updates and corrections: politics.feedback@cq.com
Major Industry | Military Bases | Population | Cities | People | Race | Median Household Income | Unusual Features
CALIFORNIA 21
:
Kern and Tulare counties - Bakersfield
The 21st lies between Fresno and Los Angeles, in California's inland
core. The district votes consistently Republican, and about three-fourths of
its vote comes from Kern County in the southern half of the district. The
rest comes from new territory pulled in from Tulare County to the north,
added during 1992 redistricting.
Both Kern and Tulare counties have a strong agricultural base and
together produce billions of dollars in crops such as grapes, citrus, cotton
and nuts. Tulare County also is among the nation's largest dairy producing
regions, while Kern is known for its oil production.
Bakersfield, in the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, is Kern
County's largest city. Here, oil and agriculture dominate the economy,
although the city is trying to diversify by promoting its growing
telecommunications, financial and light manufacturing sectors.
People moving from the Los Angeles Basin and the San Francisco Bay have
led to growth that could eventually mean the loss of prime agricultural
land, a major political issue in the 21st.
Major Industry
Agriculture, oil, military
Military Bases
China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station (shared with 40th District), 382
military, 3,298 civilian (1998); Edwards Air Force Base (shared with 25th
District), 4,545 military, 9,080 civilian (1998)
Population
571,143 (1990)
Cities
Bakersfield (pt.), 154,916; Visalia (pt.), 49,090; Tulare (pt.), 32,935
(1990)
People
52% urban; 11% age 65+ (ranks 26 of 52 in state; bottom third
nationally); 59% married couples, 30% married couples with children; 15%
college educated (ranks 39 of 52 in state; bottom third nationally); 55%
white collar (ranks 34 of 52 in state; middle third nationally), 26% blue
collar (ranks 18 of 52 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)
Race
78% white, 4% black, 3% Asian; 20% Hispanic origin (1990)
Median Household Income
$29,943 (ranks 41 of 52 in state; middle third nationally) (1990)
Unusual Features
Bakersfield known as the country music capital of the West; Country music
star Buck Owens has his Crystal Palace, museum and theater in Bakersfield;
Nation's first jet- and rocket-powered flights took off from Edwards Air
Force Base; World's largest novelty ice cream plant, Nestle Ice Cream Co.,
in Bakersfield.
Source: Congressional Quarterly (Updated April 1999)
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District 21
