Foothill needs shape 7th Congressional District race in El Dorado County
Jessica Kong fell in love with El Dorado County’s rural charm. She grew up in North Sacramento, and when it came time to start a family, she moved to Placerville because she believed it was a safer place to settle down.
“You don’t realize the stress you’re under living in a violent place until you come to a place where it’s safe,” she said.
She is among the roughly 105,000 voters in western El Dorado County who are now part of the 7th Congressional District, which also includes parts of Sacramento. This part of El Dorado County — home to El Dorado Hills, Placerville, Cameron Park, Diamond Springs and Camino — is currently represented by Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, in the 5th Congressional District. McClintock has represented the district, which includes the Stanislaus National Forest, since 2009.
Of the 60,100 El Dorado County voters who cast ballots in the 7th Congressional District primary, 31% voted for Republican Zachariah Wooden, while Democratic candidates Rep. Doris Matsui and Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang received 25.8% and 24.5%, respectively.
Districtwide, however, Vang and Matsui finished as the top two vote-getters and will face each other in November. Regardless of party affiliation, many residents said they want a representative who understands both the district’s foothill communities and its more urban areas.
“I want our representatives here in El Dorado County to consider the rural lifestyle — acknowledging that raising animals, agriculture — those types of things are important and (consider that) when it comes to voting,” Kong said.
This portion of the county has grown significantly in recent years. Census data show El Dorado Hills and Diamond Springs have more than doubled their populations since the turn of the century, bringing concerns about traffic congestion and high-density housing.
Camino resident Sue Taylor said she’s concerned about new housing projects that don’t fit the character of the community. She said traffic is her biggest concern, particularly when it comes to walkability and wildfire evacuations.
“If a fire comes up, everybody has to get out using (Pleasant Valley Road),” Taylor said, referencing the southern part of the county, such as Grizzly Flats that was affected by the 2021 Caldor Fire.
Growth also affects economic development. Both Taylor and fellow El Dorado County resident Dawn Wolfson pointed to the decline of jobs in the lumber industry. Wolfson said she’d like the district’s next representative to support policies that create more jobs, while Taylor said she wants local businesses to benefit from future economic development.
“I don’t know what that necessarily looks like, but we need more jobs,” Wolfson said. “Not retail and restaurants but other things.”
What the candidates say
When asked about the biggest concerns facing El Dorado County residents, Vang said affordability tops the list. She pointed to insurance, water and healthcare as her top priorities.
“First, the insurance crisis: families need coverage that is both accessible and affordable,” she said. “I’ll push for a federal backstop for fire‑prone communities and hold insurers accountable for dropping longtime customers.
“Second, protecting our water: this administration’s policies and recent fires have harmed watersheds, and the foothills depend on a clean, reliable and affordable supply. I’ll fight to fund watershed restoration and forest health.”
Vang also noted that her campaign doesn’t accept corporate contributions.
“Voters in El Dorado County want what we all want: a real safety net, the ability to care for their loved ones and someone who shows up,” she said. “They’re demanding leaders who fight for them — not for the industries profiting off their uncertainty.”
Matsui’s campaign did not respond to The Sacramento Bee’s request for comment. Her campaign website highlights her work securing federal investments while opposing threats to civil rights, health care and democracy. She is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and serves on the Energy, Climate and Grid Security Subcommittee, according to previous Bee reporting.
