A debate over generational leadership change, impacts from mid-cycle redistricting and an open seat because of a longtime congresswoman’s retirement.
These are just a few of the stories driving Los Angeles County’s congressional races during the June 2 primary election. And that’s not to mention the sheer number of candidates or amount of money pouring into these races this year.
At the top of the most-watched list is California’s 32nd Congressional District, which includes Sherman Oaks, Encino, Chatsworth and Pacific Palisades. Here, septuagenarian Rep. Brad Sherman is completing his third decade in office and has faced criticisms from younger candidates who say it’s time for a new generation of Democrats to lead.
We also know there will be at least two new faces representing L.A. County in Congress after this year’s midterm elections: In California’s 26th Congressional District, which includes Westlake Village, Agoura Hills and Calabasas, Rep. Julia Brownley is retiring. And in California’s 38th Congressional District, which represents residents in Montebello, Baldwin Park and Diamond Bar, there is no incumbent running because of redistricting.
Speaking of redistricting, California’s 27th Congressional District, nestled in parts of northern L.A. County’s Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys, was once a key battleground district, but it turned bluer under the new congressional map that voters approved during last year’s Proposition 50 redistricting effort. Democrat George Whitesides is seeking reelection there.
Then there’s California’s 42nd Congressional District, where, again, because of redistricting, Rep. Robert Garcia, a progressive Democrat from L.A. County’s Long Beach, could end up representing some of Orange County’s most conservative communities if he is reelected.
We break down the state of these races below. Information about money raised or spent by a candidate came from OpenSecrets, which tracks money in politics. The nonpartisan organization relied on data pulled from the Federal Election Commission on April 20.
And remember: In California, the top two vote-getters in each congressional race, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the November runoff election.
CA-26
Brownley, a Democrat completing her seventh term in Congress, announced in January that she wouldn’t seek re-election. She then endorsed Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin, D-Thousand Oaks, as her successor.
Irwin is one of nine people running for this seat. Other Democratic candidates include Chris Espinosa, a federal policy advisor; businessman Liam Andres O’Neill Hernandez; physician Sonia Kacker; and Sasan Samadzadeh, a construction inspector and caretaker.
On the Republican side, the candidates are Sam Gallucci, a business executive and pastor; Michael Koslow, a businessman; Daniel Miller, a businessman, actor and artist; and William “Bill” Scott, a systems engineer.
Only two candidates have hit six figures in terms of fundraising. Irwin has raised more than $555,000 and spent over $58,000, while Gallucci raised over $182,000 and spent more than $154,000.
The 26th Congressional District lies mostly in Ventura County, though it also includes portions of northern L.A. County, including Westlake Village, Agoura Hills and Calabasas, as well as Lake Hughes and Quartz Hill in the Antelope Valley.
Democrats have a nearly 15 percentage point voter registration advantage over Republicans in this district.
CA-27
California’s 27th Congressional District was one of the most competitive House races in the nation two years ago — and even before that, voters in this northern L.A. County district had a history of vacillating between electing a Democrat or Republican to Congress.
Today, the nonpartisan Cook Political Report considers the 27th District a solidly Democratic district, following the passage of Proposition 50, which redrew the district.
The 27th District represents Lancaster, Palmdale and Santa Clarita. Because of redistricting, it lost the communities of Acton and Quartz Hill and dropped further down into the San Fernando Valley, picking up neighborhoods such as Reseda and Lake Balboa.
Democrats have a nearly 15 percentage-point voter registration advantage over Republicans under the new map.
Whitesides, the Democratic incumbent, is facing a challenge from Santa Clarita Councilmember Jason Gibbs, a Republican. Two other Democrats also appear on the ballot: Caleb Norwood, a college student, and Roberto Ramos, a retired military analyst.
When it comes to fundraising, the incumbent has an outsized advantage over his opponents. Whitesides raised more than $3.2 million — nearly 10 times as much as Gibbs, who raised over $343,000 — during a roughly 15-month period. After adjusting for expenses and carryover sums from previous election cycles, Whitesides has about $2.5 million left in his war chest while Gibbs has about $231,000.
Because of Whitesides’ fundraising, the 27th District is one of the top-ranked among all L.A. County congressional races in terms of total amount raised by candidates.
CA-32
With nine people running in this district, California’s 32nd Congressional District ties for the most number of candidates in an L.A. County House race (along with Districts 26 and 37).
And at nearly $3.7 million total, more money has been raised by candidates in District 32 than in any other House race in the county. (That is not counting California’s 45th Congressional District, which represents only a small portion of southeastern L.A. County but is predominantly located in Orange County.)
The bulk of that financial haul can be traced back to two candidates: Sherman, the Democratic incumbent who is completing his 15th term, raised more than $1.7 million over a roughly 15-month period, while Jake Levine, a climate and energy expert who worked for the Obama and Biden administrations, raised nearly $1.6 million.
Levine, who is nearly three decades younger than the 71-year-old Sherman, is among a younger generation of Democrats who have advocated for career politicians like Sherman and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi to step aside and make way for new leadership.
The remaining candidates each raised about $42,000 or less.
They include small business owners Chris Ahuja and Dory Benami; Marena Lin, a climate scientist; Josh Sautter, vice president of the Encino Neighborhood Council; Doug Smith, a television stage manager; Larry Thompson, an attorney; and Anna Wilding, a director, producer and business owner.
All are Democrats except for Thompson, who is a Republican, and Smith, who’s registered as no party preference.
They’re all vying to represent a heavily Democratic district that includes neighborhoods in western San Fernando Valley, such as Woodland Hills, Winnetka and Tarzana, as well as Pacific Palisades, Malibu and other coastal communities. This district also expanded into Ventura County’s Simi Valley as a result of redistricting.
CA-38
Rep. Linda Sánchez is currently the congressmember for California’s 38th Congressional District. But when her hometown of Whittier was redrawn into the new 41st Congressional District as part of redistricting, she decided to run for that seat instead this year.
That leaves four non-incumbents in the 38th District race to represent a heavily Democratic district that includes portions of eastern and southeastern L.A. County, such as Montebello, El Monte, Baldwin Park and Diamond Bar, as well as Yorba Linda in northern Orange County.
The three Democrats running are Erik Lutz, a Pico Rivera council member; Monica M. Sanchez, Pico Rivera’s mayor pro tem; and L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis.
Republican Pedro Antonio Casas, a psychologist, is also on the ballot.
Over about a 15-month period, Solis raised more than $739,000 while Sanchez raised over $130,000. Fundraising amounts for Lutz and Casas were not available.
CA-42
California’s 42nd Congressional District underwent one of the most dramatic shifts because of the mid-cycle redistricting.
The district currently lies entirely within L.A. County, stretching north from Long Beach into southeast L.A. County. But under the new map, the 42nd District loses communities in southeast L.A. County and instead swings south, picking up some of Orange County’s more conservative communities, such as Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.
Although Huntington Beach residents are already represented by a Democrat in Congress — CA-47 Rep. Dave Min is their current elected official — the relocation of Huntington Beach into District 42 as part of redistricting was, for many residents, a head-scratching move.
If Garcia, the current CA-42 office holder, is re-elected, the openly gay progressive and frequent critic of President Donald Trump would represent Huntington Beach, a city known for its support of the president.
During the Proposition 50 special election last fall, the district was 52% Democratic and 18% Republican. But because of redistricting, it’s now about 41% Democratic and 30% Republican.
Four people are running against Garcia, including three Republicans: Brian Burley, a Huntington Beach school board member; Long Pham, a former Orange County school board member; and Noah Von Blom, the mayor pro tem in Newport Beach.
Teacher Larisa Vermeulen, the fourth challenger, has no party preference.
Aside from Garcia, who raised over $1.9 million, the only other candidate who reported raising money over a 15-month period was Burley, who raised a bit over $106,000.