If the United States were to cut and run from Iraq, we would send a message of weakness that would embolden our terrorist enemies across the globe. A failed Iraq would destabilize the entire region and undermine U.S. national security for decades to come.

This race was considered to be the only potentially competitive House contest in California; redistricting after the 2000 census gave most of the state's 53 congresspersons safe districts. Cardoza defeated Monteith 51 percent to 43 percent. He first won election to Congress after defeating Congressman Gary Condit in the March 2002 Democratic Party primary election.

Cardoza (born March 31 1959) was the U. The district took in a large swath of the Central Valley from Stockton to Fresno. On October 20 2011 he announced he would retire from Congress at the end of 2012.