Tom McClintock endorses GOP Assembly leader Heath Flora’s opponent for 2026

Republican U.S. Rep. Tom McClintock, Elk Grove, endorsed a relative newcomer to represent his district in the California State Assembly, delivering another blow to the incumbent, Assemblymember Heath Flora, R-Ripon.

Flora, who was unanimously chosen by his colleagues last summer to represent the Republican minority in the Assembly, was abandoned by the local Republican groups in his Central Valley district earlier this month. In his stead, the Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Amador county Republican central committees all endorsed challenger Jim Shoemaker to represent the state’s ninth district in 2026.

Now, McClintock, who just recently received the California GOP’s official endorsement for the state’s fifth congressional district, has also put his weight behind Shoemaker.

“Jim Shoemaker will be a champion for every community in the 9th Assembly District. He will give a voice to all those who have been left behind by their current representation,” McClintock said in a Facebook post shared by Jim Shoemaker’s page.

“He is not bought and paid for by lobbyists and special interests in Sacramento,” the statement continued.

Campaign finance filings outlined in an October report from The Sacramento Bee showed Flora spent hundreds of thousands of dollars given to his re-election campaign by businesses and organizations in 2024, with a significant portion going to travel, lodging and meals.

Stanislaus GOP Chairman Joel Campos told The Modesto Bee the group endorsed Shoemaker instead of Flora because of frustration that the assemblymember wasn’t present in the community and gave thousands to other central committees over those in his district.

“To see that he’s supporting committees not even in his district,” Campos said. “It was like a big ‘F you’ to us, it was just such a shock.”

Shoemaker is the underdog in the race, having mounted several previous unsuccessful bids for higher office. Most recently, he was running for Congress against Josh Harder but dropped out to challenge Flora in early December.

Since 2009, McClintock has represented California’s Sierra Nevada foothills community, including Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolomne counties.

“Congressman McClintock has never wavered in defending the Constitution and standing up to Sacramento’s overreach,” Shoemaker wrote in his Facebook post. “I’m grateful for his confidence in our campaign and ready to bring that same principled leadership to the State Assembly.”

A spokesperson for Flora did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

This story was originally published February 16, 2026 at 9:25 PM.