Garcia, Whitesides advance in competitive California House race

Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.) and Democrat George Whitesides will advance to the November election in California’s 27th Congressional District, according to a projection from Decision Desk HQ. 

Garcia will go head-to-head with Whitesides, who was formerly a chief of staff at NASA and Virgin Galactic CEO. The 27th is a Southern California district that sits north of Los Angeles.

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-) seat in the 25th Congressional District. He won his first full term later that year by less than a percentage point in the same district against Smith.  

After redistricting, he faced off against Smith again, this time in the 27th Congressional District due to redistricting, and won by more than 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 more than 12 points.