Union members join Dolores Huerta and Lt. Gov. Kounalakis in Modesto for Adam Gray rally

More than 200 union members gathered in Modesto on Saturday to support Adam Gray’s bid for California’s 13th Congressional District.

Civil rights activist and labor icon Dolores Huerta, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis and State Treasurer Fiona Ma also were present, urging voters to take action.

After spending the morning canvassing for Gray, supporters gathered at Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA), Local 1130, at 1911 Yosemite Blvd. in Modesto. Adam Gray, the Democratic candidate for California’s 13th Congressional District seat, spoke to his supporters about Congress’ current “unproductive” nature.

“We have a Congress that blames everybody else,” Gray said. “I’m running to make a change and get Congress back to work.”

The key to this election, Gray said, is voter mobilization. “If people get out and vote, I feel real good about our chances,” he said.

In 2022, Gray, a former Democratic state assemblyman, lost the congressional election to Republican businessman John Duarte by 564 votes.

Almost half the number of people voted in the 2022 election than in 2020. With their November rematch landing in a presidential election year, Gray is confident he has a shot to win, considering a bump in overall voters.

“People have to know who Adam Gray is, who is for labor, who is for unions, who is for workers,” Huerta said. “And his opponent, John Duarte, is a farmer, and he’s really more for corporations and the bosses than he is for the workers.”

Huerta, 94, has been a lifetime advocate for labor, women, and civil rights. She is known as a role model in the Latino community.

“We need somebody that can stand up for the working people because these labor unions are the ones that create the middle class,” Huerta said. “If you don’t have a middle class, you don’t have a democracy. This election is about democracy; to make sure we have a democracy and not a dictatorship.”

In part, Lt. Gov. and 2026 candidate for governor Kounalakis was at the rally to campaign for the Harris-Walz ticket. “Modesto is on the map right now, and that’s because of the Adam Gray seat,” she said. “By mobilizing the LiUNA members and their families, we believe we can deliver a win for Adam Gray in this District. Whether it’s the members of LiUNA or the members of the Democratic Party, what’s happening today is this hard work of going door to door that will make all the difference.”

Wendell Forest, 56, of Hilmar and Brian Forest, 58, of Modesto are members of Local 1130. They’ve been canvassing in the area for 17 years. “Everybody took flyers and got the word out,” Brian Forest said. The main motivation for Brian and Wendell Forest’s canvassing has been to support the union. “We’re here to support whatever is going to help our union,” said Wendell Forest.

Victor Chavez, 26, of Patterson is a representative of the North Valley Labor Federation. He attended the rally to inform voters about what’s at stake this November. “Making sure that voters are informed on who is going to stand with organized labor and who is not, and advance the interests of not just organized labor, but all of the working class,” he said.

“Making sure we have a majority of pro-labor politicians in the House and the Senate and making sure that working people have a say in national politics is most important,” he said.