¶ Overview
- Desmond was endorsed by Donald Trump and Mike Johnson, the masterminds behind the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” Desmond touted his support from Trump and claimed he was going to “bring common sense back to California.”
- Desmond defended the “Big Beautiful Bill” on the day it passed and criticized his previous Democratic opponent for not supporting it. The bill threatened health coverage for at least 17 million Americans, including nearly 12 million people on Medicaid. More than 32,000 Californians in the old 48th congressional district were at risk of losing their health coverage as a result of passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill.”
- In September 2025, Desmond opposed the formation of a county fiscal planning subcommittee in response to federal budget cuts in the “Big Beautiful Bill” claiming it was “political fear-mongering.” In June 2026, Desmond voted against funding to counter cuts to food and healthcare programs from the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and reiterated his stance that cuts were “politically-generated mania and hysteria.” In September 2026, Desmond voted against a resolution to condemn Medicaid cuts in the bill and claimed cuts were “not that onerous," that “people are not going to get cut if they deserve” Medicaid, and that he was “not being cold hearted” in voting against the resolution.
- It was estimated the county could lose $300 million in annual funding for programs like Medi-Cal and SNAP. In August 2026, it was already reported that tens of thousands have dropped out of healthcare programs, first-time applications were down by a third, and premiums had increased.
¶ Desmond Supported A Bill That Took Health Coverage From Southern Californians
¶ September 2026: Desmond Voted Against A Resolution Condemning Medicaid Cuts, Saying People Were Acting “Like The Sky Is Falling,” That Cuts Were “Not That Onerous,” And That He Was “Not Being Cold Hearted”
9/1/26: Desmond Voted Against A Resolution To Condemn Medicaid Cuts Enacted By The “One, Big Beautiful Bill.” On 9/1/26, Desmond voted against resolution No. 26-116, entitled, “A Resolution Of The Board Of Supervisors Of The County Of San Diego Opposing Federal Medicaid Cuts Enacted Through H.R. 1 And The Trump Administration’s Withholding Of Federal Medicaid Funding Owed To California,” with amendment adding the following language after paragraph 10: “WHEREAS, The County of San Diego believes that it is our duty to prevent the fraudulent use of public funds and is committed to the transparent identification and elimination of fraudulent claims for and use of ANY public funds,” which “Directed the Chief Administrative Officer to transmit a copy of the resolution to the President of the United States, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.” The resolution passed 4-1. [San Diego County Board of Supervisors, General Legislative Session Statement of Proceedings, 9/1/26]
¶ Desmond Said People Were Acting “Like The Sky Is Falling,” That Cuts Were “Not That Onerous” And Would Not Happen To People Who “Deserve” Medicaid, And That He Was “Not Being Cold Hearted”
Desmond Said The Resolution Had “A Lot Of Fear” Built Into It And That People Were Acting “Like The Sky Is Falling” About Medicaid Cuts. According to Supervisor Jim Desmond in a San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting, “DESMOND: Thank you, Madam Chair. You know, there's a lot of fear built into into this. And I think, you know, we got to be truthful with people and the main changes to the Medicaid that are causing people to act like the sky is falling are the work requirements for able bodied 19- to 64-year-old old people, and having to certify twice a year compared to once a year.” [San Diego Board of Supervisors Meeting, 9/1/26]
Desmond Claimed That Cuts Were “Not That Onerous” And “People Are Not Going To Get Cut If They Deserve” Medicaid. According to Supervisor Jim Desmond in a San Diego County Board of Supervisors meeting, “DESMOND: I'm not going to be supporting this here today. The cuts and the requirements are not that onerous, and I think they're fair and people are not going to get cut if they deserve it. Thanks.” [San Diego Board of Supervisors Meeting, 9/1/26]
Desmond Claimed His Vote Against The Resolution Was “Not Being Cold Hearted” And That He Felt Like People Were Implying That He Was “A Cold Hearted S.O.B For Not Doing This.” According to Jim Desmond in a San Diego County Board of Supervisors Meeting, “DESMOND: Well, um, I feel that I need to respond. The people, the people that maybe share my opinion on this, which is not that we don't want to help people. We just want to make sure the people that are being helped qualify for the help. And you already have to stand in a line and ask for that help every year. This has it to be done twice a year. Medicaid costs have gone up astronomically in this country, and maybe that's for many different reasons. But if your water bill goes up double or triple, you go try to find out, where's the leak, what's happening? Why is this happening here? So, we want, this this is not being cold hearted. I don't think this is, we want everybody that needs the help should get the help. And that's what we're asking. That's all I'm saying. And to ask people to qualify twice now, maybe twice a year, instead of standing in line, we can get a system where people can do it online. And it's an easy system. You can do it at home. You don't have to come stand in line. And and and I think there's ways to making this work and there's ways that, you know, nobody wants anybody to not have the help that they need. The requirement is asking twice a year to qualify. And if and asking people that are able bodied and there's about 17 outs for them and able-bodied single person that doesn't have the time to work or has children to take care of, they don't have to do any of those work requirements. So to me, I felt, maybe it wasn't intended, but, you know, I'm a cold hearted S.O.B. for not doing this. I'm not. I just want to make sure the people that need it are getting the help that they need. So, I'll leave it at that. Thank you very much. And just for the record on this, I'm going to be voting against the item, but I do support the the amendment is being put forward.” [San Diego Board of Supervisors Meeting, 9/1/26]
¶ June 2026: Desmond Voted Against Funding To Offset “One Big Beautiful Bill” Cuts To Food And Healthcare Programs And Called Cuts “Politically-Generated Mania And Hysteria”
Desmond Voted Against Funding To Offset Cuts To Food And Healthcare Programs And Called Claims About The Programs “Politically-Generated Mania And Hysteria.” According to San Diego Union-Tribune, "The San Diego County Board of Supervisors in June approved millions of dollars in one-time spending to help offset federal cuts to food and healthcare programs. Supervisor Jim Desmond, a Republican running for Congress, voted against the spending, saying the claim about onerous work requirements is ‘politically-generated mania and hysteria.’ ‘If they’re able-bodied, they’re single, got no dependents, are able to work — we’re only asking for 20 hours a week … to pay for the services that you’re receiving,’ he said, according to KPBS." [San Diego Union-Tribune, 8/30/26]
¶ September 2025: Desmond Voted Against forming A San Diego County Fiscal Planning Subcommittee In Response To Federal Budget Cuts In The “Big Beautiful Bill” Claiming It Was “Political Fear-Mongering”
September 2025: The San Diego County Board Of Supervisors Voted To Create An Ad Hoc Subcommittee Focused On Fiscal Planning In Response To Federal Funding Cuts. According to NBC San Diego, "The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted 3-2 Tuesday in favor of creating a subcommittee aimed at shielding services from funding cuts. Sponsored by Terra Lawson-Remer and Monica Montgomery Steppe, the proposal establishes the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Sustainable Fiscal Planning, tasked with ‘developing strategic recommendations to maintain essential county services, protect vulnerable residents and preserve the county's financial health.’" [NBC San Diego, 9/30/25]
- The San Diego County Board Of Supervisors Said Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Could Risk $300 Million In County Funds For Medi-Cal, SNAP, Housing, And Early Childcare. According to NBC San Diego, "The supervisors pointed to the passage of Congress' One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1), which a county analysis estimated could create more than $300 million in annual fiscal risks, including to programs like Medi-Cal, SNAP, housing and early childhood care." [NBC San Diego, 9/30/25]
¶ In Response To Federal Funding Cuts To Programs Like Medicaid, Desmond Said People Who Really Needed Benefits Could Still Get Them And Creating A Subcommittee To Address Funding Cuts Was “Political Fear-Mongering”
Desmond Opposed The Creation Of The County Subcommittee, Calling It “Political Fear-Mongering” And Defended Federal Budget Cuts By Claiming People Who Really Needed Them Could Still Get Them. According to NBC San Diego, "Supervisor Paloma Aguirre joined Lawson-Remer and Montgomery Steppe to yes, while their colleagues Joel Anderson and Jim Desmond were opposed. Before voting, Desmond called the subcommittee ‘political fear-mongering’ and an excuse to raise taxes. He said people really in need of benefits can get them, and the only ones at risk ‘are able-bodied adults who aren't willing to work, volunteer or go to school for at least 20 hours a week.’" [NBC San Diego, 9/30/25]
¶ On The Day The Big Beautiful Bill Passed, Desmond Criticized His Democratic Opponent For Voting Against It
7/3/25: Desmond Criticized His Democratic Opponent For Voting Against The “Big Beautiful Bill” Which He Praised For Allegedly Bringing Tax Relief To Middle And Working-Class Families. According to a post on Jim Desmond’s Twitter, "Families in Southern California are struggling just to stay afloat. The cost of everything—groceries, gas, electricity, insurance—has exploded. You’re working harder and getting less, while Washington keeps making things worse. My opponent had a chance to help, but instead he voted against *Eliminating taxes on tips, overtime, and Social Security *Making the Child Tax Credit permanent, helping over 40 million families Cutting taxes on Made-in-America auto loans *Putting an estimated $10,000 a year back into the average family’s pocket He voted to keep taxes high. He voted to block relief for middle- and working-class families. He voted to make life even more expensive than it already is. This effort still passed—but not because of him. The people in our district deserve better. You deserve a representative who fights to bring down costs, not protect a broken system that’s pricing people out of California. You shouldn’t be penalized for working overtime, leaving a tip jar out, or trying to raise a family here. That’s why I’m running—to bring real relief to the people who need it most." [Twitter, @JimDesmondSD, 7/3/25]
7/3/25: The House Passed The Sweeping “Big Beautiful Bill,” Which Imposed Deep Cuts To Medicaid. According to Time, "House Republicans handed President Donald Trump his first legislative victory of his second term Thursday after overcoming resistance from a handful of members, passing a sweeping $3.4 trillion tax-and-spending package known as the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ that extends his 2017 tax cuts, provides a large funding boost for his immigration policies, and imposes deep cuts to Medicaid and other safety-net programs." [Time, 7/3/25]
- HEADLINE: "At Least 17 Million Americans Would Lose Insurance Under Trump Plan" [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
- The Congressional Budget Office Estimated That 11.8 Million People Would Become Uninsured As A Result Of The Medicaid Cuts In Republicans’ Reconciliation Bill. According to the Washington Post, "The bill, which narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday and now heads back to the House, would effectively accomplish what Republicans have long failed to do: unwind many of the key components of the ACA, President Barack Obama’s signature domestic achievement, which dramatically increased the number of Americans with access to health insurance. To start, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the Senate version of the bill would result in 11.8 million more uninsured in 2034, mostly because of Medicaid cuts, compared with 10.9 million if the House version became law." [Washington Post, 7/1/25]
¶ Desmond Defended The May Version Of The Big Beautiful Bill
5/22/25: Desmond Criticized His Democratic Opponent For Opposing The Republican Reconciliation Package. According to a post on Jim Desmond’s Twitter, "My opponent just voted against against tax cuts for working families, and protecting Social Security. He voted to raise your taxes by 22%, slash $65 billion from border security, and strip $150 billion from our military—all while letting 1.4 million illegal immigrants stay on SNAP and Medicaid. This isn’t leadership—it’s lunacy. Levin is out of touch. I’m running to fix it. #CA49" [Twitter, @JimDesmondSD, 5/22/25]
¶ DESMOND WAS ENDORSED BY DONALD TRUMP AND MIKE JOHNSON, THE MASTERMINDS BEHIND THE “One BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL”
4/14/26: Desmond Touted His Endorsement From Donald Trump And Claimed They Were Going To Work To “Bring Common Sense Back To California.”
[Twitter, @JimDesmondSD, 4/14/26]
4/14/26: Speaker Mike Johnson, Alongside Other House Republican Leaders, Endorsed Desmond. According to a post from Mike Johnson on Twitter, "Joint House Republican leadership endorsement statement with @SteveScaliseGOP , @tomemmer , and @LisaForCongress : Jim Desmond is a Navy veteran and patriot who will help us continue to deliver safe streets, secure borders, lower costs, and peace through strength. As a former pilot, mayor, and San Diego County supervisor, Jim will bring his experience to Congress to solve problems and defend our military, veterans, and the principles that have made America the greatest nation on Earth. We are proud to ENDORSE Jim Desmond for California’s 48th District, and look forward to working with him to defend and grow our House Republican majority and CONTINUE our American comeback! 🇺🇸" [Twitter, @MikeJohnson, 4/14/26]
¶ an estimated 136,400 californians in the Old 48th congressional district relied on Medicaid or CHIP for health insurance
136,400 Californians In The Old 48th Congressional District Were Enrolled In Medicaid Or CHIP.
[Center for American Progress, 3/11/25]
¶ August 2026: California Already Reported Tens Of Thousands Having Dropped Out Of Food And Healthcare Programs, Fewer Applicants, And Increased Costs
Tens Of Thousands Of San Diegans Were Reported To Have Dropped Out Of Food And Healthcare Programs, Causing Healthcare Organizations To Cut Back Services. According to San Diego Union-Tribune, "Tens of thousands of San Diegans have dropped out of food and healthcare programs, many even before changes in eligibility for noncitizens took effect April 1 and before work requirements kick in. Some healthcare organizations are already cutting back in anticipation of the reductions. Hospitals, some of which already are operating at a loss, expect increases in uncompensated care because they can’t turn away anyone who shows up at emergency rooms. That ultimately could affect services and costs for insured people." [San Diego Union-Tribune, 8/30/26]
Officials At Covered California Reported First-Time Applicants Are Down By A Third And Officials Estimated Medi-Cal Could Lose More Than $30 Billion Annually. According to San Diego Union-Tribune, "Officials at Covered California, a health coverage marketplace that utilizes federal subsidies through the federal Affordable Care Act, said first-time applicants are down about a third since the bill was approved. […] California officials estimate Medi-Cal could lose more than $30 billion annually once federal changes fully take effect in 2027." [San Diego Union-Tribune, 8/30/26]
Federal Cuts Affected Programs Covering About 1 In 3 San Diego County Residents, Causing Higher Premiums And Fewer Renewals For Insurance Plans. According to San Diego Union-Tribune, "Cuts, new requirements and other changes have also been rolling in for federally funded heathcare[sic] programs that cover about 1 million people in the region, or about 1 in 3 San Diego County residents, according to Paul Sisson of The San Diego Union-Tribune. […] In addition to fewer people signing up for Covered California, state officials say people facing higher premiums are increasing their deductibles, reducing coverage or going without it entirely. Many middle-class people who benefited from the Affordable Care Act will also be affected by the loss of enhanced tax credits. Premiums for middle-class residents will increase by an average of $500 per month, according to Covered California Executive Director Jessica Altman. Covered California said nearly 374,000 renewing consumers had canceled or terminated their renewal plan in the past year. That’s 19% of renewing consumers, compared with 13% to 14% cancelling their coverage in prior years." [San Diego Union-Tribune, 8/30/26]
¶ Jim Desmond Was A Multi-Millionaire
¶ Desmond Had An Estimated Net Worth Between $4.5 Million ANd $21 Million
2024: Jim Desmond’s Net Worth Was Between $4,515,007.00 And $21,000,000.00
|
Jim Desmond 2024 Estimated Net Worth |
||
| Lowest Range | Highest Range | |
| Assets | $4,865,009.00 | $21,750,000.00 |
| Liabilities | $350,002.00 | $750,000.00 |
| TOTAL | $4,515,007.00 | $21,000,000.00 |
[Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, Personal Financial Disclosure, Jim Desmond, Filed 2/3/25]