Vince Fong won. What happens next?

A little more than six months remain until the November election, and Bakersfield Assemblyman Vince Fong — fresh off his 60.3% victory Tuesday — has an important message for his voters: Vote for me. But also, don’t vote for me.

With the assemblyman’s special election defeat of Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, Fong, 44, is in the process of serving out the time remaining in the congressional term left vacant by his mentor, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Bakersfield.

Fong announced his resignation Friday from the Assembly following the finish of each chamber's House of Origin deadline to vote on bills.

“Today is my last day in the California Assembly,” he wrote. “It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you in the state Capitol fighting for our way of life. At every turn, I supported the tremendous work being done by our friends and neighbors — growing our food, powering our economy and supporting our military operations at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Edwards Air Force Base.”

The date for Fong’s transition into California's 20th Congressional District seat is not set. While at the discretion of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Fong’s campaign expects the ceremony to take place June 3.

“But that obviously could change,” said Ryan Gardiner, who manages Fong’s campaign.

According to Gardiner, Fong’s November race is for reelection, but not to the Assembly, where he has represented Bakersfield since 2016. That has instead been relegated to Bakersfield City Councilman and Kern Republican Party Chairman Ken Weir, who finished second to Fong in the March 5 Assembly race with 15.9% of the vote as a write-in candidate.

“Vince at that time will be a member of Congress,” Gardiner said. “We’re asking voters to reelect him and then, in order to keep the Assembly seat filled, we’re also asking them to vote for Ken Weir.”

The difficulty that lies ahead will be in reminding voters to choose Weir instead of Fong, something Gardiner said was the plan in March but should be an easier sell in November, when the councilman will actually be on the ballot. In the March 5 primary, Fong received about 50,000 more votes than Weir, despite lending him his endorsement for the seat in January.

“Write-ins are difficult,” Gardiner said. “Only the most checked-in voters are even aware that they have the ability to write in candidates.”

In the event that Fong wins, it’s expected he will resign from the Assembly, again, and claim his congressional seat for the full, two-year term in 2025.

The vacant seat, in that scenario, would be filled through a special election, according to a spokesperson for the California secretary of state, on a date announced by Gov. Gavin Newsom within 14 days of the vacancy. Because Fong's current term will become vacant in its final year, it cannot be filled by a special election or appointment.

Following Fong's departure, the 32nd Assembly District will remain staffed through November to continue case work and answer to constituents.

“It is certainly a less straightforward situation than might be ideal, but it is what it is,” Gardiner said. “We are going to do what we can to make sure that voters in the Assembly district have representation as soon as possible.”

He will serve out the roughly seven months left behind by McCarthy in a House embroiled over debates on foreign aid, the debt ceiling and record immigration across the U.S. border with Mexico.

When asked what policies and committees he will focus on, Fong said his chief concerns are the federal deficit and rising inflation, as well as the southern border, which he has called a “direct threat to our national security.”

Given that he is entering Congress midsession, Fong will have little leverage to choose which committee he joins. He nevertheless mentioned interest in the Energy and Commerce Committee as well as the House Ways and Means Committee — both of which are tied to the interests of the Central Valley. The latter of the two was once chaired by former Rep. Bill Thomas, R-Bakersfield.

“My focus will always be defending our way of life and the local economy,” Fong said.