You can’t miss the ads on TV and radio. In recent weeks, candidates for a handful of congressional seats have seemed to dominate the airwaves. Let’s take a closer look at why so much money is being spent on so few races.
Former President Bill Clinton campaigned for a House candidate in Orange County on the final day of his 2024 campaign. Leaders of both parties, including Democratic Party Chairman Hakeem Jeffries and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, have taken similar actions.
Even former President Donald Trump held a rally in the Coachella Valley earlier this month. All these signs point to a House majority passing through California, with four of the most competitive races in the country to be found in Southern California. You’ve probably seen ads before, even if you haven’t been paying attention.
“California is a very important state in any election cycle, but it’s especially important in this one. There are eight races going on across California, which is the most concentrated state in any particular state in the nation.” “This is a state that is doing so.” Jeffries.
Jeffries campaigned for George Whiteside in the Antelope Valley earlier this month. Whiteside is in a close race against Republican incumbent Mike Garcia in California’s 27th Congressional District, which includes Santa Clarita, Lancaster and Palmdale.
Another close race is California’s 41st District, which includes Corona, Menifee, Lake Elsinore and Palm Springs. Democrat Will Rollins will once again face Republican Ken Calvert, who has held the seat for 32 years.
“Everybody go out and vote for Ken Calvert,” President Trump said in the Coachella Valley earlier this month.
Next up, the 45th Congressional District in Orange County, California, is pitting Democrat Derek Tran against Republican incumbent Michelle Steele. In Orange County, voters will also decide whether the seat vacated by Katie Porter will be filled by Democrat Dave Ming or Republican Scott Baugh.
“The only surefire way to protect Donald Trump and his 2025 agenda is to take back the House, and that starts with Derek Tran,” Bill Clinton said in Buena Park over the weekend. .
“Whether it’s Trump or Harris, it’s worth asking yourself, do you want to give the next president a Congress that helps them, or would you rather give them a Congress that balances them? So, you know, whether you’re in any of these House races. , you’re going to vote in a lot of elections.” No matter how you look at it, it’s just as important as the vote you cast for a presidential candidate,” said Dan Schnur, a political communication professor at the University of Southern California and Berkeley.
Huge amounts of money are flowing into these races from within and outside the district. Republican candidates each raised between $5 million and $10 million. Meanwhile, Democrats raised between $5 million and $12 million in each of those races. Republican candidates for these battleground seats raised a total of $27 million. Democratic candidates raised more, about $32 million.
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