The early results of the California convention threaten the GOP’s power in Washington
Buoyed by a new Congressional map in their party’s favor, California Democrats were looking to Tuesday’s primary election as an important first step in flipping several House seats and taking power in Washington.
The results of California’s big and slow election were not immediately clear late Tuesday, as polls closed and mail-in ballots continued to be processed and counted. Still, Democrats were nervous about their chances of advancing to the November general election in all five states that were re-turned in their favor because of last year’s Proposition 50 voting measure.
“The road to taking back the House begins with voting in the June 2 election,” the California Democratic Party posted online Monday.
Meanwhile, California Republican Party Chairman Corrin Rankin urged Republican voters to make their voices heard.
“As President Trump said, we need to make it too big to handle,” Rankin said on “The Benny Show.” “We have to vote.”
One of the most watched races was in the redrawn 22nd Congressional District in the Central Valley, where Rep. Incumbent David Valadao (R-Hanford) is facing challenges from moderate Assembly Member Jasmeet Kaur Bains (D-Delano) and progressive college professor Randy Villegas.
Another hotly contested race was in the redrawn 48th Congressional District in San Diego and Riverside counties, where Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall) has decided to retire rather than run for re-election, and Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond – endorsed by Trump – is running against the pack of Democrats.
Prop. 50 – which Californians won with about 65% of the vote last year – was the response of California Democrats to Texas Republicans redrawing the Congressional maps of their state in favor of the GOP, at the behest of President Trump. It was also the last major Democratic debate in a wide-ranging mid-decade contest that has spread across the country over the past year.
Experts expect a redistricting battle to deliver a residual gain of a few or more House seats for Republicans. But Democrats could gain more ground given Trump’s approval ratings and the president’s party’s long history of losing midterm elections.
Combined, those factors make the battle for control of the House incredibly close, making the five seats up for grabs in California crucial — and potentially decisive.
Tuesday’s vote will not determine whether any of the five seats will switch parties in November. However, the primaries will define those uphill races that will better inform the chances of Democrats toppling Republicans, experts say.
In addition to flipping the seats currently held by Valadao and Issa, Democrats hope to pick up three additional seats.
In the first congressional district – which after Prop. 50 lost rural areas in northeastern California and picked up the liberal communities of the North Bay — a diverse race for a seat long held by Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale), who died in January. They include Democratic state Sen. Mike McGuire and Republican Rep. James Gallagher, who has been endorsed by Trump.
Voters in the current district are also voting in a special election Tuesday to fill LaMalfa’s remaining term.
In the 3rd Congressional District, which has lost the rural east near Nevada and is now firmly in the suburbs of Sacramento, Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) — currently representing a different district — is running for Congress in a new seat.
At that time, the incumbent of the 3rd District, Rep. Kevin Kiley (Rocklin), wants to do the opposite. He left the Republican Party, became an independent and is now running for Bera’s seat in Congressional District 6, which includes downtown Sacramento and Placer County.
In the 41st Congressional District, which has become more liberal after Prop. 50 for losing voters in Riverside County and gaining them in Los Angeles County, the slate of candidates — including Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Whittier), who currently represents a different district – is running to replace Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona). Calvert, who was serving a 17th term, decided to run in the neighboring 40th district instead.
In the 40th Congressional District, which includes most of Orange County and parts of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Rep. Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills) will now go head-to-head with Calvert, while facing many Democratic challengers.
Other counties that were not part of Prop. 50 shuffle is also eye-catching.
In San Francisco’s 11th Congressional District, several Democratic candidates are seeking to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), former Speaker of the House who has retired, including Sen. Scott Wiener; tech billionaire and Democratic politician Saikat Chakrabarti; and Connie Chan, a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors endorsed by Pelosi.
Democrats are also watching many races where younger Democrats and progressives are challenging incumbent Democrats, and where new Democratic incumbents are seeking to hold onto their seats in competitive districts.
