Redistricting Results in Uphill Battle for California’s GOP Congressional Candidates

Republican candidates in California faced an uphill battle against not only their Democratic opponents but also redrawn congressional districts in the Nov. 3 midterm election.

The Republicans entered the midterms with a 218–214 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives, with two seats vacant and one Independent. California holds 52 of 435 seats in the House, and prior to Election Day, 41 seats were held by Democrats, eight by Republicans, and one by an Independent.

Under California law, Secretary of State Shirley Weber has until Dec. 11 to certify the Nov. 3 election results.

The district was redrawn to favor Democrats, who led the redistricting process in the blue state.

Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) was leading Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) with 54.1 percent of the vote in California’s 40th Congressional District as of 10:25 p.m. on election night. The two sitting Republicans were pitted against each other when districts were redrawn last year under California Proposition 50.

Despite Democrats’ hopes to split the Republican vote, the two GOP candidates won the top two spots in the June primary. In California’s jungle primary system, only the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of political party affiliation.

Voters approved Prop. 50 on Nov. 4, 2025, authorizing a new congressional district map for the 2026 elections. The map was redrawn after Texas Republicans launched a redistricting effort, prompting California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, to write “two can play that game” in a July 15, 2025, X post.

California then redrew its own congressional district map ahead of the midterm elections. Newsom called a special election last November, and Californians passed Prop. 50 with a 65 percent majority vote, adopting the new map through 2030.

The new district encompasses parts of Calvert’s and Kim’s current districts. It spans from Menifee and Murrieta in Riverside County to Mission Viejo in Orange County.

Calvert and Kim have attacked each other in bitter campaign ads since before California’s June 3 primary election.

In California’s 6th Congressional District, Democrat Richard Pan, a former state senator, is leading his race with 58.3 percent of the vote over incumbent Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Calif.), a former state assemblyman.

Kiley broke away from the Republican Party in March 2026 to run as an Independent. He is listed as “No Party Preference” (NPP) on the ballot. He cited redistricting and gerrymandering as reasons for leaving the GOP to run in a newly drawn deep-blue district and was a fierce critic of the redistricting effort.

In California’s 11th Congressional District, state Sen. Scott Wiener is leading fellow Democrat San Francisco Board of Supervisors member Connie Chan with 56.6 percent of the vote to win the coveted San Francisco seat held by two-time House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Wiener is a champion of LGBT rights and has led the push for “gender-affirming care” in California, while Chan is known for advocating fiscal responsibility and her work on county budgets.

Pelosi, first elected to the House in a special election on June 2, 1987, has served 20 consecutive terms. She announced her retirement last fall, effective when her current term ends on Jan. 3, 2027. She endorsed Chan as her successor.

In California’s 48th Congressional District, Democrat Marni von Wilpert, a San Diego city councilor and former prosecutor who worked with the Obama administration in support of workers’ rights, is leading with 59.4 percent of the vote over San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, a Republican and former U.S. Navy veteran.

Desmond was an outspoken critic of the border crisis during the Biden administration and the impact of illegal immigration in San Diego.

The winner in this race will replace longtime Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), who announced his retirement in March. Issa has served 12 terms in the House of Representatives, including nine consecutive terms from 2001 to 2019. He didn’t run for reelection in 2018 but ran for a different congressional seat in 2020 and won. His final term ends on Jan. 3, 2027.

Democrat Adam Gray is leading the 13th Congressional District race with 61.2 percent of the vote over Republican Kevin Lincoln II.

In California’s 45th Congressional District, incumbent Democrat Rep. Derek Tran is leading the race with 59.6percent of the vote over Republican ChuongVo.