Republican flips House seat in California special election
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Democratic state Assemblywoman Christy Smith on Wednesday conceded defeat in the special election in California's 25th District after vote returns showed her opponent, Republican Mike Garcia, with a comfortable lead.
The concession flips a seat that Democrats reclaimed from GOP control less than two years ago. The special election was held on Tuesday to fill the seat vacated in November by former Rep. Katie Hill
Katherine (Katie) Lauren HillThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by The American Investment Council - Trump takes his 'ready to reopen' mantra on the roadThe Hill's Campaign Report: Democrat concedes in California House race Republican flips House seat in California special electionMORE (D-Cailf.), who resigned amid a House ethics investigation into an inappropriate relationship between herself and one of her congressional staffers.
Garcia's apparent win is a major accomplishment for the GOP, marking the first time since 1998 that a Republican has flipped a Democratic-held House seat in California. Republicans also won a special House election in Wisconsin on Tuesday, in a race they were widely expected to win.
"While it's critical that we ensure every vote is counted and recorded, we believe that the current tally shows Mike Garcia is the likely victor in the May 12 special election," Smith said in a statement on Wednesday. "As such, I'd like to congratulate him.
"That said, this is only one step in this process, and I look forward to having a vigorous debate about the issues in the upcoming November 2020 election, from healthcare access to job creation, aid for working families, investments in local classrooms to wildfire protection, women's rights and more in the months ahead."
California has not finalized the count in an election that was largely conducted by mail-in ballot, which needed to have been postmarked by Tuesday and must get to poll officials by Friday.
Even before voting ended on Tuesday, Democrats were lowering expectations in the special election, aware that the race was likely to end in a nail-biter. In recent days, early ballot returns showed that more registered Republican submitted ballots than registered Democrats as well, raising the GOP's hopes of reclaiming the district.
Garcia declared victory in the race earlier on Wednesday, saying that returns that showed him leading Smith by double digits made it "clear that our message of lower taxes and ensuring we don't take liberal Sacramento dysfunction to Washington prevailed.
"For too long, the people of our district have not had representation, and it's time their voice is heard in Washington. These are difficult times, and too much is at stake — our small businesses, our workers and our families need all the help they can get."
The special election was only held to determine who would serve out the rest of Hill's first term. Garcia and Smith are expected to face off once again in the November general election.
Still, Republicans touted Garcia's victory Wednesday as a sign that they have momentum in the suburban and exurban districts that helped hand Democrats the House majority in 2018.
In a memo shared with reporters Wednesday by the Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), the main House Republican super PAC, pointed to the win in California's 25th District and a victory in last year's special election in North Carolina's 9th District to tout the party's strength in the suburbs.
"With wins in the suburbs of Charlotte and Los Angeles, Republicans have proven we can win in key suburban districts with the right candidate, message, campaign and funding," wrote Dan Conston, the president of CLF.
Hill won the seat during the 2018 midterm elections, which saw Democrats recapture control of the House. The district was previously represented by former Rep. Stephen Knight
Stephen Thomas KnightThe Hill's Morning Report - Presented by The American Investment Council - Trump takes his 'ready to reopen' mantra on the roadRepublican flips House seat in California special election'I'll drop your a--,' Republican tells immigration protesterMORE (R-Calif.).
Hill's victory marked the first time in more than two decades that a Democrat won in the district.
The controversy surrounding Hill's resignation — and Democrats' larger hold on political power in California — were central to Garcia's campaign. He frequently railed against "socialist" policies and strict regulations that he blamed for broader economic problems in the state.
For her part, Smith sought to tie Garcia closely to President Trump
Donald John TrumpState Department inspector general firedHouse passes massive T coronavirus relief packageAnalysis: Most states fall short of recommended coronavirus testing levels as some reopenMORE and his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which loomed large over the race. Garcia's victory boosts Republicans' hopes of recapturing some of the suburban and exurban House seats they lost in 2018.
Democrats believe they have a better chance at winning in California's 25th District in the fall when the presidential election is expected to drive up voter turnout and Trump himself will be at the top of the ballot.
"Christy Smith's decades of service and longstanding fight to ensure affordable and accessible health care make her the best choice to represent Southern California during these challenging times," Rep. Cheri Bustos
Cheryl (Cheri) Lea BustosRepublican flips House seat in California special electionGOP's Don Bacon and challenger neck and neck in Democratic pollNebraska Democrat Kara Eastman wins House primary to take on Don BaconMORE (D-Ill.), the chairwoman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement.
"Even the [National Republican Congressional Committee] admits Republicans are in trouble for November," she added. "We're confident that voters will reject Mike Garcia's attacks on their health care and that Democrats will retake this seat in November."
Updated at 5:40 p.m.
TagsChristy SmithDonald TrumpHillary ClintonKatie HillCheri BustosStephen KnightCalifornia 25th DistrictSpecial ElectionHouse races2020 elections
Tags
Who is online
511 visitors
Uh oh .... Chongo!
Dang i just seeded this same story. Sorry about that. Definitely good news though!
My replies must have been on your article as they aren’t here.
Incidentally, first “fetch” article. Worked great.
Kudos to whoever implemented that
It was put together by TiG.
Nice job Tig, works great.
Funny, but everyone who pointed out every single Democratic won as momentous in nature have been strangely silent about this election.
Perhaps because their myth about the GOP being dead has been proven to be nothing more than a big lie?
They have to hang their hats on something. Never mind that results like 20018 are simply typical for midterm elections.
It's time to welcome California's 25th district back to the civilized world!
Don't get too excited over this. He is in the position for only the remainder of the term she did not complete. He will have to run again when it comes time for the general election. He could end up losing that time.
No, we won't be like Democrats and crow about turning one seat.
We aren't that dumb or naïve.
Understood. In the general election lots of things can happen (as Richard Daley used to say). I only wonder if this is a harbinger of things to come.
We here in So Calif knew that he would likely win that seat. And I am hoping that he will do a good job for us. It is more important how the person works for the people than their party affiliation. Having an R, D, or I before or after their name does not automatically make them good at their job. Looking forward to seeing who Mr. Smith will work for, Trump, or the people who elected him. Hopefully, it is for those who helped him flip that seat.
From the guy who basically said "Learn to fend for yourselves." is not someone who will fight for us imo.
I totally agree. And that can be said for all parties and their supporters. However, I think people on all sides are getting a bit tired of being used and manipulated by their politicians, no matter which party line they affiliate with.
I want to be the boss for a change. I want to tell my reps or senators what I want them to do for me, not have them tell me what they might do for me. Like all other Americans, my tax dollars pay their salaries, and I want them to work for me and EARN their salary doing what is best for me, my family and our country, not just what will put more money in their own pockets and thumb their nose at me and my family and what we need.
That is what our reps and senators are supposed to do, work for the people, not just for their own best interest and to Hell with the people. That is, until election time again, then they will pretend like they really care what the people think, need and/or want and pretend like they will work hard to get that for them so they will vote for them, then flip the people off again.
And that includes both sides. Neither party is worth the powder to blow them to Hell.
Good for him...there is likely to be more seats flipped and switched nationwide come election day, to the benefit of the Republicans.
I sure wish that pols like Pelosi and Schumer and all the other Dems would work more for the people than their party.
So do I. In fact, I wish that all politicians would work for the people and not just for their political party. And I would like to see the politicians in Congress have term limits as well. Some have been in Congress far too long and think they don't have to play by the rules anymore, and greed is all they care about.
The majority of politicians, local, state or Federal, only care about the people when it comes election time and they need their votes. The rest of the time they could care less what happens to the people. The politicians are just users, nothing more. That has always been true to an extent, but, not to the extent as it is today.
Yep, 100% agreement there. I think we need to try and make political office about public service like it used to be and not a career like it Is now for many like Pelosi and McConnell. Do your time and go back to your regular job in the private sector. None of this decades of service, political career crap.
Also at the legislative level I’d like to see parties done away with. You put your platform out there and the people vote for who they like the best. No Republican or Democrat party to be beholding to. Vote for the person and not the party.
Trash the DNC and RNC.
A dream I know but a good one just the same.
I very much agree with your thoughts on political party affiliations. Between Pelosi and McConnell they pretty much own our Congress, and that is not good. Putting so much power into their hands leads to the party dominance we see today. Voters are also at fault. They put too much focus on party affiliation instead of the individual, and by doing so we wind up with the kind of political power struggles that we see today and the bad results from that puts our country in jeopardy from both sides.
There is no perfect party. Nor is there is any perfect politician.Pretending that there is only one perfect political party for our country and its people is nothing but a farce they endlessly feed the people. And a certain portion of the American voters buy into the farce, which makes it difficult to find the right path that will produce the correct results for our country and our people.
We have to stop putting parties first in importance. And stop the ridiculous fighting between parties that leads to our enemies being able to play America and its people for fools before the world stage.
We are so much better than this. And we need to start proving it.
Yep, it can start with everyone accepting compromise. I use these two issues as an acid test for that. Abortion and the 2nd amendment.
If one can’t accept compromise on leaving both those issues alone, they are part of the problem.
It may be too late to leave them alone, as they have already been brought to the fore, and trying to push them back into the background at this point is likely very futile. Like many other very sensitive political areas, compromise is indeed needed. However, with each side demanding that their own viewpoint be considered, that likely won't be happening any time soon. Although, it really should.
Compromise seems to have become a dirty word by both parties, and no one dares to go against their party's stand. It seems to become a word that the parties and their members regard as a word of shame that cannot not be accepted. That is why there is no longer any give or take by either side. And that is why we have the mess in DC that we do. And until both sides recognize that compromise is necessary to some extent in order for reasonable and effective legislation can be achieved for the overall benefit of our country and its people.
JMOO
I agree which is why the polarization initiated and stoked by each party will just get worse. Everyone has to get their way on everything so nothing of substance will ever be accomplished.
The parties are manipulating the willing ....... sad! And you are right, we all do deserve better but we do reap what we sow.
We have met the enemy and it is us.
I have to wonder...will we ever learn from our own many mistakes? Or just keep making the same mistakes until there is no hope of a better future for the generations to follow us? I am truly hoping we learn, but, from what I see every day now, without some modicum of willingness to compromise on both sides, things will only continue to slide into the abyss of failure for future generations.
Well, IMO it’s up to each one of us.
Each one of us allow ourselves to get polarized to some degree. NT is a great example of what I’m talking about. There are people here who I swear would rather die than vote up a comment from someone they’ve grown to hate. No matter how much they might agree or like the comment. And they have never even met the person usually.
It’s pretty screwed up and they only way to unscrew it is really up to each individual.
I agree.
Not the most glorious victory - Katie Hill got shoved onto the sword, this is just backlash. It would be nice if we could draft politicians from the middle of the road.
Also, the 25th district has been in the Republican column from 1993 to 2019, 26 consecutive years before Hill won.
First time since 98 that a Republican flipped a Democrat held house seat in California. That’s like 11 elections for the entire Cali house.
Pretty damn significant IMO regardless of what came before.
I’m not raggin on you and I’m thrilled to see the right win - but they’re mostly cannibal assholes. I want to see the likes of a Mark Robinson walk on and say, “Here’s the program.”
If you think so. I tend to see this as really significant. Orange Country CA. was a Republican stronghold for decades. After 2018 not so much.
I do think so.
A Cali district flipping from rep to dem is very common place. Your own example bears that out. It was 11 election cycles before it happened ONCE the other way around.
I could get into the probabilities of it all but I’m afraid it falls on deaf ears.
Sparty, she held the seat for less than a year and was embroiled in a sex scandal after the Republicans held it for 26 years.
That is not correct, you do not seem to have a grip on Orange County CA. politics. It was called ''conservative Orange Country for decades. A Ronald Reagan stronghold.
The 45th and 48th districts have never had a Democratic rep until 2018.
Talk about falling on deaf ears.
Nah, the significance of my original point is clear to any that care to listen.
You clearly don’t want to listen so like I said any further analysis is useless and a waste of my time.