27th Congressional District
Rep. Mike Garcia (CA-27) and Democrat George Whitesides were projected at midweek to advance to the November election in California’s 27th Congressional District, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Garcia, a republican, will go head to head with Whitesides this fall, who was formerly a chief of staff at NASA and Virgin Galactic CEO.
Garcia, a former U.S. Naval officer, first entered Congress after winning a special election in May 2020 against democrat Christy Smith to fill out the remainder of former Rep. Katie Hill’s (D-Calif.) seat in the 25th Congressional District. He won his first full term later that year in the same district against Smith by less than a percentage point.
After redistricting, he faced off against Smith again, this time in the 27th Congressional District due to redistricting, and won by over 6 points.
The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates Garcia’s seat as a “toss up,” though the seat would have gone for President Biden in 2020 by over 12 points.