CA-25: Race to Replace Katie Hill Moves from Lean Democratic to Toss Up

[RandySF]

California, during a pandemic, would be an unlikely place and time for a GOP upset. After all, Republicans haven't picked up a seat in the state since 1998 and most voters aren't enamored with President Trump's handling of the crisis. In fact, Trump's approval rating has barely budged since November 2018, when Democrat Katie Hill ousted GOP Rep. Steve Knight by seven points in California's 25th district.

But a month out from the May 12 all vote-by-mail special election to replace Hill, both parties view the race between Democratic state Assemblywoman Christy Smith and Republican former Navy fighter pilot Mike Garcia as a nailbiter.

This is a rare case in which both parties ended up with solid, impressive candidates who are straight out of central casting for the district. The 25th CD takes in northern Los Angeles County, including Santa Clarita, and has recently trended blue: four years after voting for Mitt Romney, it voted for Hillary Clinton 50 percent to 43 percent and registered Democrats now outnumber Republicans 38 percent to 32 percent.

To put Garcia's challenge in perspective, Republicans don't hold a single House seat in the country where Clinton received an absolute majority of the vote. But the 25th CD, with its reputation as a bedroom community for police and firefighters, has an independent streak and a considerable defense/aerospace industry. And so far, Garcia's biography appears to be resonating beyond the GOP base.

Garcia, whose father emigrated from Mexico (this district is 38 percent Latino), was nominated to the Naval Academy by longtime former GOP Rep. Buck McKeon, who chaired the House Armed Services Committee and remains popular in the 25th CD. As a Super Hornet Strike Fighter pilot, he flew 30 combat missions in Iraq and later served ten years back home as an executive at Raytheon.




https://cookpolitical.com/analysis/house/california-house/ca-25-race-replace-katie-hill-moves-lean-democratic-toss

[BGBD]

1. Hill

Shouldn't have resigned.

[kysrsoze]

2. We just got rid of Knight. The last thing we need here is another Repub. VOTE!

[LenaBaby61]

3. We just got rid of Knight. The last thing we need here is another Repub. VOTE!

Friends living in Palmdale tell me that there isn't near the enthusiasm for Christy Smith as there was for Hill. Not because she's not liked, but because there are so many other things going on there, and that the virus has them in all types of bad sorts.

You'r'e right, about saying that Hill shouldn't have resigned. But you know how Dems roll. IF thuglicans shame Dems enough, they'll usually fold. Meanwhile, thuglicans almost never fold, and maybe say that God forgives them no matter how bad their indiscretions are. Yes, I get that Dems are not 'them,' However, look at how the party of putin (Formerly the GOP), lead by MoscowMitch, is destroying our country right along with the big, treasonous hog tRumputin leading the way. 'They' have NO shame. My friend said that Dems (If their crime isn't a gastly one) said they should say "Hey, God forgives me too, and?" like thuglicans do.

It depends upon what kind of 'crime' they're committed, but I get what my friend is saying though.