The battle for a Fresno-area seat held by "Trump's political stooge" has become the most expensive congressional race in the country, KQED public radio reports.
The seat is currently held by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), the controversial chair of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI).
Nunes is being challenged by Democrat Andrew Janz, a Fresno County deputy district attorney.
"Nunes has leveraged his high-profile role as Trump's defender-in-chief to help collect a massive campaign war chest — $17 million — for a race in California’s 22nd Congressional District, which includes Tulare and Fresno counties," KQED noted.
That is more than five times as much as Nunes raised in 2016.
Janz meanwhile "has raised more than $8 million, an enormous sum for a challenger in a race within one of California's most poverty-stricken regions."
"I feel like Democrats have never tried to win here," says Janz.
"Nunes has not done his constitutional obligation, which is to be a check on Donald Trump in the executive branch," he continued. "So I really think that we need a representative from the valley that is willing to go to Washington and challenge the status quo."
Nunes has been harshly criticized for his defense of Trump and failure to provide oversight.
In October, the Fresno Bee published a scathing editorial against Nunes and endorsed Janz.