Republicans Win Control of the House, Lifted by Key California Victories

Republicans won control of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday after victories in closely contested California congressional districts helped give the party the 218 seats needed for a majority and, with it, full control of government.

GOP incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert won reelection in the Inland Empire a day after Republican Rep. David Valadao won another tight contest in his district around Bakersfield. The Associated Press called the races as California election officials continue to count tens of thousands of ballots across the state’s competitive districts. Late Wednesday, a victory by Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani clinched the Republican House majority.

Democrats had viewed California — and those competitive districts — as a key piece of their plan to retake the House majority. Although the party has gained ground within the state delegation, Democratic hopes for wider gains were dashed, leaving Republicans to control both chambers of Congress as President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.

In the 41st District, which includes the Riverside County cities of Corona, Menifee and Palm Springs, Calvert defeated Democrat Will Rollins in a rematch of the 2022 election.

“This is a hard-fought victory that shows voters want someone who will put results over partisan politics,” Calvert said in a statement. “Together, we’ll continue working to secure our border, bring down prices for working families and ensure law enforcement has all the tools they need to keep our communities safe.”

Republican gains across the Inland Empire may have boosted the 16-term incumbent. Trump visited the Coachella Valley in the closing weeks of the campaign and currently holds a narrow lead over Vice President Kamala Harris in Riverside County, which President Joe Biden won by 8 percentage points in 2020.

In the Central Valley, Valadao defeated Rudy Salas in a rematch from 2022 when Valadao narrowly bested the former Assemblymember. Valadao, a dairy farmer first elected to the House in 2012, appeared to expand his support from 2022.

The latest returns from the 22nd District show Valadao leading Salas 53% to 47%.

Valadao will return to Washington as one of the two remaining House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“I will continue reaching across the aisle to find solutions to increase the Valley’s water supply, make energy more affordable, ensure our law enforcement are well-funded to keep communities safe, create good-paying jobs, and improve our healthcare system,” he said in a statement.

Further north in the 13th District, near Merced, Rep. John Duarte leads former Assemblymember Adam Gray 51% to 49%, in another rematch from last cycle.

California Democrats’ biggest coup of the cycle undoubtedly came in Southern California, where George Whitesides knocked off incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Garcia on Tuesday in the 27th District, north of Los Angeles.

Garcia was first elected in 2020 in a suburban district that has trended left. Democrats were exasperated when Garcia won reelection in 2022 despite the removal of the conservative enclave of Simi Valley during the redistricting process.

Whitesides, the former CEO of Virgin Galactic, gave more than $1 million to his campaign and ran on a moderate platform supporting tax cuts and more funding for police.

“It’s the honor of a lifetime to be elected to serve our district in Congress and deliver for Santa Clarita, the Antelope Valley, and the San Fernando Valley,” Whitesides said in a statement. “In Congress, you can count on me to fight to create more good local jobs, lower everyday costs, build safe communities, protect Social Security and Medicare.”

Elsewhere in Southern California, incumbent Republican Michelle Steel is narrowly leading Democrat Derek Tran in the 45th District — although recently counted ballots from Orange and Los Angeles counties have significantly narrowed Steel’s advantage.

In another Orange County election, Democrat Dave Min defeated Republican Scott Baugh in the 47th District. The incumbent Democrat, Katie Porter, made an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate, leaving an open seat covering Irvine and Huntington Beach.

“As the child of immigrants who survived the Korean War, I owe everything I have to this country,” Min said in a statement. “In Congress, I will carry on the fight to protect our democracy, safeguard our freedoms, and expand the economic opportunity at the heart of the American Dream.”

In the final competitive O.C. seat, Democratic Rep. Mike Levin won reelection against Republican Matt Gunderson in the 49th District, which also covers part of San Diego County.