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California's 49th Congressional District election, 2018

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2020
2016
California's 49th Congressional District
Ballotpedia Election Coverage Badge.png
Top-two primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: March 9, 2018
Primary: June 5, 2018
General: November 6, 2018

Pre-election incumbent:
Darrell Issa (Republican)
How to vote
Poll times: 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Voting in California
Race ratings
Cook Partisan Voter Index (2018): R+1
Cook Political Report: Lean Democratic
Inside Elections: Lean Democratic
Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Democratic
Ballotpedia analysis
U.S. Senate battlegrounds
U.S. House battlegrounds
Federal and state primary competitiveness
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
See also
California's 49th Congressional District
U.S. Senate1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th26th27th28th29th30th31st32nd33rd34th35th36th37th38th39th40th41st42nd43rd44th45th46th47th48th49th50th51st52nd53rd
California elections, 2018
U.S. Congress elections, 2018
U.S. Senate elections, 2018
U.S. House elections, 2018

Mike Levin (D) defeated Diane Harkey (R) in the 2018 general election for California's 49th Congressional District.

Incumbent Darrell Issa (R) did not run for re-election for the first time since he was elected in 2002. This district was one of 25 Republican-held U.S. House districts that Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election. Both national congressional committees showed interest in the race, with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) adding Levin to its Red to Blue list and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) adding Harkey to its Young Guns list.[1][2] In the top-two primary, Harkey received 25.52 percent of the vote to Levin's 17.49 percent.

All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives were up for election in 2018. The Democratic Party gained a net total of 40 seats, winning control of the chamber. This race was identified as a 2018 battleground that might have affected partisan control of the U.S. House in the 116th Congress. Heading into the election, the Republican Party was in the majority holding 235 seats to Democrats' 193 seats, with seven vacant seats. Democrats needed to win 23 GOP-held seats in 2018 to win control of the House. From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.


Grey.png For more information about the top-two primary, click here.

Candidates and election results

General election

General election for U.S. House California District 49

Mike Levin defeated Diane Harkey in the general election for U.S. House California District 49 on November 6, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Mike Levin
Mike Levin (D)
 
56.4
 
166,453
Image of Diane Harkey
Diane Harkey (R)
 
43.6
 
128,577

Total votes: 295,030
(100.00% precincts reporting)
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for U.S. House California District 49

The following candidates ran in the primary for U.S. House California District 49 on June 5, 2018.

Candidate
%
Votes
Image of Diane Harkey
Diane Harkey (R)
 
25.5
 
46,468
Image of Mike Levin
Mike Levin (D)
 
17.5
 
31,850
Image of Sara Jacobs
Sara Jacobs (D)
 
15.8
 
28,778
Image of Douglas Applegate
Douglas Applegate (D)
 
13.1
 
23,850
Image of Kristin Gaspar
Kristin Gaspar (R)
 
8.5
 
15,467
Image of Rocky Chávez
Rocky Chávez (R)
 
7.5
 
13,739
Image of Paul Kerr
Paul Kerr (D)
 
4.4
 
8,099
Image of Brian Maryott
Brian Maryott (R)
 
3.0
 
5,496
Mike Schmitt (R)
 
1.3
 
2,379
Image of Joshua Schoonover
Joshua Schoonover (R) Candidate Connection
 
0.7
 
1,362
Image of Craig Nordal
Craig Nordal (R)
 
0.6
 
1,156
Image of David Medway
David Medway (R) Candidate Connection
 
0.6
 
1,066
Image of Robert Pendleton
Robert Pendleton (Independent) Candidate Connection
 
0.5
 
905
Image of Danielle St. John
Danielle St. John (G)
 
0.4
 
690
Image of Joshua Hancock
Joshua Hancock (L) Candidate Connection
 
0.3
 
552
Jordan Mills (Peace and Freedom Party)
 
0.1
 
233

Total votes: 182,090
Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Candidate profiles

See also: Editorial approach to writing about key campaign messages


Diane Harkey, California State Board of Equalization member
Diane Harkey.JPG

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Republican

Incumbent: No

Political office: California State Board of Equalization (Assumed office: 2014), California State Assembly (2008 - 2014), Dana Point City Council member

Biography: Harkey graduated with an economics degree from the University of California, Irvine. She spent 30 years in corporate finance and banking. She served as a city council member in Dana Point, as a member of the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2014, and was first elected to the state board of equalization in 2014.[3]

Key messages
  • In her January 2018 announcement that she would seek the seat, Harkey emphasized her financial experience: "My whole policy has been basically helping Californians stay in business and do more business and collect taxes to help pay for the things we all want...I’m very strong on anything that’s financial or budgetary."[4]
  • Harkey said she advocated for "job creation, employment opportunities, improve California’s state budget outlook, and reduce the burden of complying with government audits and various tax regulations."[5]
  • Harkey emphasized her government experience on her campaign website: "I’m running for Congress because I’ve seen firsthand the need to reform the way government works and more important, the way it thinks."[6]



Mike Levin, attorney
Mike Levin.jpg

Campaign website Facebook Twitter

Party: Democratic

Incumbent: No

Political office: None

Biography: Levin graduated from Stanford University, served in the Coro Fellows Program, and then attended Duke University School of Law. After graduating, he was the executive director of the Democratic Party of Orange County. Levin has worked as an attorney, concentrating on environmental and energy regulatory compliance and government affairs.[7]

Key messages
  • In an interview following his announcement that he would seek the seat, Levin said that the 2016 election had motivated him to seek the seat: "Really, when Donald Trump became president of the United States, I was there in New York watching election returns, and I realized on the way home that the time is now for all of us."[8]
  • Levin said his priorities included Medicare for All, affordable college tuition, preventing violence related to weapons, protecting Social Security, legal access to abortion, and a $15 federal minimum wage.[9]
  • Levin also emphasized his experience in the clean energy industry and that he served on the board of the Center for Sustainable Energy.[9]


Polls

See also: Ballotpedia's approach to covering polls
California's 49th Congressional District, general election
Poll Mike Levin (D) Diane Harkey (R)Undecided/OtherMargin of errorSample size
SurveyUSA
(October 29-November 1, 2018)
51%44%5%+/-5.4745
NYT Upshot/Siena College
(October 19-24, 2018)
53%39%8%+/-4.7500
Berkeley Institute for Governmental Studies
(September 16-23, 2018)
55%41%4%+/-6.0551
Public Opinion Strategies
(July 15-17)
43%46%9%+/-4.9400
The Feldman Group
(June 24-27)
49%46%5%+/-4.6400
AVERAGES 50.2% 43.2% 6.2% +/-5.12 519.2
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Campaign finance

The chart below contains data from financial reports submitted to the Federal Election Commission.

Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Mike Levin Democratic Party $6,055,213 $5,497,154 $558,059 As of December 31, 2018
Diane Harkey Republican Party $1,645,908 $1,642,059 $3,850 As of December 31, 2018

Source: Federal Elections Commission, "Campaign finance data," 2018. This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).

* According to the FEC, "Receipts are anything of value (money, goods, services or property) received by a political committee."
** According to the FEC, a disbursement "is a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit or gift of money or anything of value to influence a federal election," plus other kinds of payments not made to influence a federal election.


Satellite spending

Satellite spending, commonly referred to as outside spending, describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4) nonprofit groups.[10][11][12]

This section lists satellite spending in this race reported by news outlets in alphabetical order. If you are aware of spending that should be included, please email us.

  • The House Majority Pac had spent approximately $2 million on an ad buy targeting Harkey as of October 9, 2018.[13]
  • Onward Together, a political action committee formed by Hillary Clinton, donated $5,000 to Levin in June 2018.[15]

Race ratings

See also: Race rating definitions and methods
Race ratings: California's 49th Congressional District election, 2018
Race trackerRace ratings
October 30, 2018October 23, 2018October 16, 2018October 9, 2018
The Cook Political ReportLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Inside Elections with Nathan L. GonzalesLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Larry J. Sabato's Crystal BallLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean DemocraticLean Democratic
Note: Ballotpedia updates external race ratings every two weeks throughout the election season.

District analysis

See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores

The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was R+1, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 1 percentage point more Republican than the national average. This made California's 49th Congressional District the 228th most Republican nationally.[16]

FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 0.91. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 0.91 points toward that party.[17]

Noteworthy endorsements

See also: Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.


Noteworthy general election endorsements
Endorsement Mike Levin[18] Diane Harkey[19]
Donald Trump, U.S. president
Barack Obama, former U.S. president

Noteworthy events

DCCC Red to Blue support

On June 15, 2018, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee announced the addition of Mike Levin (D) to its Red to Blue list. Candidates on the Red to Blue list receive organizational and financial support from the committee.[20]

NRCC adds Harkey to Young Guns

On June 29, 2018, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) announced that it was adding Diane Harkey (R) to its Young Guns list. Although placement on the list was not an endorsement, candidates on the Young Guns list receive organizational and financial support from the committee.[21]

Campaign advertisements

This section shows advertisements released in this race. Ads released by campaigns and, if applicable, satellite groups are embedded or linked below. If you are aware of advertisements that should be included, please email us.

Democratic Party Mike Levin

Support

"Mike Levin for Congress - Adam Schiff (TV Final)" - Mike Levin for Congress campaign ad, released April 28, 2018
"Mike Levin for Congress - Gun Violence Prevention" - Mike Levin for Congress campaign ad, released April 16, 2018

Oppose

"Predatory" - Diane Harkey for Congress campaign ad, released August 29, 2018

Republican Party Diane Harkey

Support

"Diane Harkey - Tax Fighter" - Diane Harkey for Congress campaign ad, released April 24, 2018

Oppose

"Turned Her Back" - League of Conservation Voters ad, released October 9, 2018
"Lavish" - House Majority PAC ad, released October 9, 2018
"Gas Mask" - League of Conservation Voters ad, released September 17, 2018

Campaign themes

The themes below were taken from the candidates' campaign websites.

Diane Harkey

Diane Harkey, Candidate for the 49th Congressional District in California, was elected in November 2014 to the State Board of Equalization where she represents the voters of the 49th Congressional District as well as residents of 5 Southern California counties including Orange, San Diego, Imperial, Riverside and a section of San Bernardino. Harkey recently served three terms in the California State Assembly representing the 73rd District encompassing nearly half of the residents of the 49th Congressional District.

As Chairwoman of the State Board of Equalization, Diane capitalizes on her private and public-sector experience to promote the rights and interests of all taxpayers.

As a Constitutional officer, Harkey advocates for policies that support job creation, employment opportunities, improve California’s state budget outlook, and reduce the burden of complying with government audits and various tax regulations.

Harkey also served as Chair of the Business Taxes Committee, the regulatory body at the BOE charged with writing, updating and streamlining regulations that implement California’s business tax statutes.

In her first year at the Board, Harkey successfully pushed for changes to provide clarity on 1031 exchanges in real estate transactions, and soon began to establish clear guidelines for sales tax exemptions for medical devices and inventories. She held numerous seminars to help tax professionals, business owners and individuals navigate California’s complex tax laws and regulations. Her office has favorably resolved over 400 constituent cases district-wide, and continues to hold educational events explaining property tax assessment, the importance of Proposition 13, manufacturing exemptions and a variety of topics regarding state tax law.

Harkey strongly supports policies that ensure future improvements in water, power and transportation and public safety that will allow California to retain its place as one of the top-ranking economies in the world.[6]

Mike Levin

Accelerating Sustainable Energy and Environmental Protection

For the last decade, I have been involved in the clean energy industry as an attorney and non-profit founder and director, and I will be a champion in Washington on issues of sustainability and climate change and their impact on our economy, health, and security. I want to put our district at the forefront of clean energy economic growth. I am honored that our campaign has been endorsed by the Sierra Club and the California League of Conservation Voters.

I feel that a transition to a sustainable energy future is imperative, due to both our depleting natural resources and the environmental impact of fossil fuel use and extraction. The question is whether Americans will be using clean energy technologies developed and manufactured in Asia and Europe, or whether our federal government will spur clean energy innovation to help America lead in this rapidly-growing industry.

I believe strongly in the overwhelming scientific consensus that climate change is driven by human activity. I will be an outspoken opponent of any and all efforts by the Trump Administration to undermine our global leadership on climate and sustainable energy policy issues. I already have been greatly disturbed by Trump’s efforts to undermine environmental protections to aid the fossil fuel industry.

In order to reduce carbon emissions, I believe we must consider several ideas, including a “revenue-neutral carbon tax” that would impose a price on carbon dioxide, which would be matched dollar for dollar with corresponding cuts of existing taxes. We must also continue to explore cap-and-trade policies to reduce emissions, which have been proven to be largely effective when implemented in California and at the federal level.

We must ensure a long-term solution to securely move and store hazardous waste at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station. I believe that we must address the short-term issues related to canister safety and explore federal legislation to allow states like California to set stricter nuclear waste safety standards than those mandated by the federal government. We must also get nuclear waste off the California coast as quickly and safely as possible, which means exploration of interim and permanent storage sites. I will work with community leaders to help solve this problem and won’t need on-the-job training to make it happen.

I believe that we must transition from fossil-fuel based power production to sustainable, renewable alternatives, particularly in our district. In the December 22, 2016 San Diego Union-Tribune, I criticized the proposed Carlsbad Energy Center, noting that it “runs counter to the energy-use practices that Californians are adopting in terms of clean distributed power generation combined with investments in energy efficiency.” Accordingly, I believe that we must empower our local communities to choose their own clean energy procurement and production decisions.

Finally, we must end subsidies to oil and fossil fuel companies, including any direct funding or tax giveaways that rig the game in favor of fossil fuels compared to more sustainable energy sources.

Holding Washington Accountable

When President Trump tweets about “fake news” or his staff talks about “alternative facts,” I believe that it’s more important than ever to hold Washington accountable, protect the truth, and put country over party. We are living in unprecedented times that require accountability, transparency, and a free press.

I support efforts at the state level – including in California – to require Trump to make his tax returns public or be kept off the 2020 ballot. I also believe Trump must fully divest from his businesses and enter into a blind trust with an independent trustee. Finally, we must get to the bottom of the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia – before, during, and after the 2016 presidential election.

I also will fight for fundamental campaign finance reform to reduce the corrupting influence of money in politics. We must explore all reform alternatives, including a Constitutional amendment, to curtail and reverse the damage done by the 2010 Citizens United and 2014 McCutcheon Supreme Court decisions. I also strongly support efforts that would allow states to enact their own public financing laws, as well as other measures to improve the transparency and accountability of the campaign finance system.

Providing Affordable Healthcare Coverage for All

If elected to Congress, I would strongly advocate for Medicare for All and join those supporting H.R. 676. According to Physicians for a National Health Program, 95 percent of all households would save money under such a program. Patients would no longer face financial barriers to care such as co-pays and deductibles, and would regain free choice of doctor and hospital, and doctors would regain autonomy over patient care.

In the near term, I believe we must work to repair and strengthen the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I believe that President Trump’s wanton neglect of the ACA is unconscionable. Many ideas to improve the ACA must be explored, including the implementation of “public option” early Medicare coverage within health insurance marketplaces, and the hiring of new full-time federal enrollment assisters to help Americans enroll.

I will defend Medicare and Medicaid, ensure young people can stay on their family health insurance plan, prevent discrimination against Americans with pre-existing conditions, and ensure veterans swiftly get the care and benefits they have earned.

I believe that the American Health Care Act (AHCA), passed last year by Republicans in the House of Representatives and fully supported by Darrell Issa (who cast the winning vote), was a dangerous tax cut for the very wealthy masquerading as healthcare reform. Independent analysis suggests that 36,400 residents in the 49th Congressional District would have lost coverage under the AHCA, including 3,800 children.

Achieving World-Class Education

We must work to ensure that every child in the 49th Congressional District can achieve their full potential. Our education system must prepare students well for the jobs of the future. I believe our teachers are heroes and should be at the core of any plan to improve public schools. I am also very honored that the California Teachers Association has endorsed our campaign.

I will fight the Trump Administration’s desire to privatize public education. Instead, I will advocate for our local public schools to get the resources they need to hire and keep excellent teachers, reduce class sizes, and invest in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM) programs. We need to focus on training and retraining teachers, especially in STEAM, special education, and bilingual instruction. We must address an increasingly dire teacher shortage by improving college loan forgiveness programs, addressing housing accessibility, and making it easier for retired teachers to return to the classroom and provide mentorship.

I believe that any student who qualifies to attend college must be able to do so affordably, and that our community colleges must serve as increasingly important centers for job training and placement. Towards those ends, I will advocate for solutions like the College for All Act, which aims to eliminate tuition and fees at public four-year colleges and universities for students from families that make up to $125,000 per year, and would make community college tuition-free for all income levels.

Finally, I will hold President Trump accountable for his campaign promise of capping annual student-loan payments at 12.5% of income, and forgiving any outstanding loan amount after 15 years.

Creating Jobs for the Future

Our district has vibrant biotechnology, information technology, and clean energy industries and we must advocate for federal policies that support their continued growth.

I will be a vocal advocate for increasing funding for basic scientific research through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). President Trump’s budget outline would have cut $6 billion from the NIH, a direct hit to our district that undermines a longstanding commitment to biomedical science.

Because no full-time American worker should ever live in poverty, I support a gradual increase in the federal minimum wage to $15, implemented at a pace that allows employers to adapt their business plans. Exhaustive research over the past few decades suggests raising the minimum wage produces better outcomes not only for workers, but also for their children and families.

Finally, I believe we must fight for additional Wall Street reform and prevent corporations from sending jobs and profits overseas. We also must guard against the sort of risky business and lending practices that led to our last financial collapse.

Fighting for Women’s Rights

I am honored that our campaign was one of the first in the nation to be endorsed by the National Organization for Women. I will always stand for women’s health issues, including access to contraception and the right to make one’s own reproductive choices. I will fight any legislation or executive action that allows insurance companies to discriminate against women. I believe that only a woman, her family, and her doctor should be able to decide what is best for her health.

I will defend Planned Parenthood, which provides essential preventative and reproductive health care services like cancer screenings, STD testing and low-cost birth control to millions of American women. I will defend equal pay for equal work and fight any effort to allow wage discrimination against women. It is unconscionable that women and men would earn different wages for the same work.

I will fight for federal legislation that specifically bans sexual harassment. Current enforcement is based on a 1977 Supreme Court ruling that makes harassment illegal under the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This gives a conservative judiciary too much leeway in determining constitutes sexual harassment, including allowing federal judges to rely on outdated precedents in order to dismiss claims. This statute should include treble damages, hold harassers personally liable, and extend the statute of limitations to protect victims.

I believe the federal definition of domestic violence must be updated to include stalking and dating violence. Among other things, this would help prohibit stalkers and violent dating partners from having access to firearms. I will also advocate for active GPS tracking of violent offenders, which provides real‐time location information.

Finally, I will make ending military sexual assault a priority of my service in Congress.

Defending our Seniors

Our great nation cannot allow its seniors to go without healthcare or fall into poverty and homelessness. I will fight to ensure that we never forget or neglect our seniors.

We must fight to preserve Medicare and Social Security, essential programs that reflect our shared commitment to support seniors. Darrell Issa once called Social Security a “Ponzi scheme” and threatened to raise the retirement age. I believe that we must oppose Republican efforts to privatize Social Security or raise the retirement age — an unfair idea that will hurt seniors who have worked the hardest.

The American Health Care Act, promoted by President Trump and supported by Republicans in the House of Representatives, would have allowed insurance companies to charge people age 50-64 up to five times as much as younger adults for the same coverage. This age tax on older Americans is unacceptable and would have undermined the prosperity of an entire generation.

According to AARP, over 3 million low- to moderate-income older adults ages 50-64 currently rely on tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to purchase health insurance coverage. Proposals to replace the current-law tax credits with new “flat” tax credits adjusted for age would substantially reduce their value by as much as $5,900 for an individual and would put health insurance and care out of reach for many.

Social Security benefits are a lifeline for many Americans, keeping them and their families out of poverty. In 2013, Social Security kept over 22 million Americans out of poverty, including over a million children (under age 18), over 6 million adults (between the ages of 18 and 64), and nearly 15 million people ages 65 and older. More than 10 million older Americans depend on Social Security for the majority of their income.

Our seniors have paid into these programs for decades and we cannot let them down.

Keeping America Secure

America has been the greatest force for freedom and security that the world has ever known – in no small part because we have invested in the best-trained, best-led, and best-equipped military in history.

In the heart of our district, we are fortunate to have Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, the West Coast’s premier expeditionary training base, which serves our warfighters, regional installations and commands. Camp Pendleton provides the infrastructure to enable our Navy-Marine Corps team to prepare for deployments and sustain operational readiness for global contingencies. We must continue to provide these brave men and women with the resources they need to accomplish their mission when our nation sends them into harm’s way.

In addition to always prioritizing the readiness and preparation of our military, I will seek to use our Congressional office to be part of the working team of veterans service organizations, community leaders, and business groups to address various local and regional concerns. I will hire a full-time liaison with local military experience as part of my district staff to ensure that we are tied into and supporting issues from all our service personnel and families to include reservists, military retirees, civilians that are employed in support of our military mission, and our large veteran population.

We must always protect America, defend our interests and values, support human rights, and be resolute against terrorism. To achieve these ends, I believe we must always attempt to exhaust diplomatic solutions before military engagement. I will oppose unnecessary military intervention overseas and believe we should prioritize the use of force where our own national security is at stake. I strongly believe that war must be a last resort.

I will also strongly advocate for a new Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). The current AUMF is too broad and we cannot give President Trump a blank check to get us into unnecessary conflict without Congressional authorization.

I will support efforts to fight international and domestic terrorism without sacrificing our privacy rights or human rights, and I will oppose torture of all forms for detainees and prisoners of war in our custody.

Honoring our Veterans

My grandfather, Ted Levin, served in WWII for the U.S. Army Air Forces as a gunner with the 867th Bomb Squadron. After fighting in the Pacific air offensive, he returned home and started a small business with my grandmother. Grandpa Ted was a true patriot who earned the programs and benefits he received by virtue of his service.

Our veterans need to know their Congressional representative will fight to protect this assistance. While our region has outstanding organizations and programs to assist veterans, we are still allowing too many in need to fall through the cracks.

We must protect the V.A. against privatization efforts. The V.A. is a world-class health care provider that is set up and designed specifically to meet the needs of veterans, and we must invest in its continued improvement, and continue to fund research specifically targeted to better understand the medical issues of veterans. We must provide more veterans with affordable housing and homeless assistance programs, including expanded HUD-VASH vouchers. No veteran should not have a place to call home, or the support of the community.

We must close the “G.I. Bill loophole,” which allows for-profit colleges to count military tuition assistance and G.I. Bill payments as private sources of funding, rather than as the government funds they actually are. By eliminating this financial motivation for recruiting those using the G.I. Bill, educational institutions would have to focus on the quality of their educational offerings and the outcomes, to include on-time graduation rates and graduates’ employability.

Finally, I believe we need a renewed federal effort to prioritize the hiring and training of veterans in the building and construction trades particularly as we consider large-scale improvements to our nation’s infrastructure.

I know my priorities, and taking care of those that sacrificed so much to serve their country and protect our freedoms can never be forgotten.

Standing for LGBTQ Rights

I will be persistent in the fight for marriage equality and protection against discrimination until it is the law in all 50 states. This includes passage of the Equality Act and equal treatment of LGBTQ couples who hope to adopt a foster child.

I believe that no one should face discrimination or harassment based on their gender identity or sexual orientation, and that no child should face hostility in school because of their sexuality.

I also believe that our country has a role to play to help protect the rights of LGBTQ people around the world, and will use my voice in Congress to stand for LGBTQ rights.

Preventing Gun Violence

I was honored when Moms Demand Action honored our campaign with the Gun Sense Candidate distinction. We need to solve the epidemic of gun violence in this country. As former Congressmember Gabrielle Giffords said, “In the absence of a Congress ready to act to reduce gun violence, we will keep working to create a different Congress.”

After recent mass shootings, we worry about being accused of “politicizing a tragedy.” We consider window-dressing “reforms” that don’t get to the root of the problem. We let time go by. We fall selfishly back into the smallness of our daily lives as soon as it’s socially acceptable to do so.

In the end, we do nothing. We go through this routine time after time because there’s a leadership vacuum in this country. Those in charge are bought and paid for by the National Rifle Association to rigidly enforce the status quo, and enforce it they do. Then innocent Americans pay the ultimate price for it.

I support an assault weapons ban and expanding Brady background checks to all gun sales, including those made over the Internet and at gun shows.

I also believe that we must ban bump stocks, while acknowledging that doing so is not a substitute for other gun violence measures. We must also fund research into gun violence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and fight concealed carry reciprocity.

It’s clear that nothing will change until we empower actual leaders to effect meaningful policy reforms in Washington. It’s past time to put people in charge who will actually do something to preempt future tragedies.

Treating Immigrants with Dignity

I am the grandson of Mexican immigrants on my mother’s side. Having not graduated high school themselves, my mom’s parents sent all five of their daughters to college. At age 50, my grandpa, Rosendo Bringas, became an American citizen, and it was among the proudest days of his life.

I want to preserve the values and aspirations of so many immigrants like my grandparents, who dream of the uniquely American opportunity for self-improvement.

I will be a strong advocate for comprehensive immigration reform and a path to citizenship for law-abiding undocumented immigrants. I believe we must reduce our immigration backlog and allow our country to attract the world’s brightest and highest-skilled workers to help us better compete in a global market.

At the same time, I believe we must strengthen the security of our borders (but not with Trump’s misguided “Wall”), and require undocumented immigrants to pay back taxes and study English.

I also supported the executive action taken by President Obama in 2014 to protect certain undocumented immigrants with strong ties to the community and U.S. citizen family members from deportation. President Obama’s order prioritized the removal of undocumented felons, gang members, and others, while protecting those who have worked hard and contributed positively in our communities and neighborhoods.

Protecting Animal Welfare

I believe that the way we treat animals reflects the values that we hold, and I will be a strong advocate for the protection of wild and domestic animals, and to protect the habitats of threatened and endangered species.

I have been deeply troubled by recent actions by President Trump and Darrell Issa to undermine animal welfare. These actions include a resolution overturning the ability of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to prevent the shooting or trapping wolves while at their dens with cubs, using airplanes to scout for grizzly bears to shoot, trapping bears with cruel steel-jawed leghold traps and wire snares and luring grizzly bears with food to get a point blank kill. Moreover, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently removed public access to tens of thousands of reports that document the numbers of animals kept by research labs, companies, zoos, circuses, and animal transporters—and whether those animals are being treated humanely under the Animal Welfare Act.

Supporting Safe, Ethical, and Responsible Addiction Treatment

Addiction treatment can transform lives, with an enormous positive impact on society. Towards that end, I believe that Congress must work with state and local stakeholders to ensure addiction treatment is ethical, responsible, and respectful of local residential communities. Recovery businesses should be expected to act as good neighbors, operating in a safe, transparent, legal, and humane manner.

Unscrupulous owners should not be permitted to abuse the intent of the Fair Housing Act in order to circumnavigate the proper zoning and regulatory authority of a municipality.

Specifically, I will advocate for federal legislation to clarify the appropriate state and local roles in ensuring that residential recovery facilities are properly licensed to operate for the safety and benefit of residents. This includes reasonable protections for residents and communities from those who have prior convictions for assault, domestic violence, or active restraining orders. I will seek to allow local jurisdictions to place reasonable limits on businesses operating in residential-zoned neighborhoods in order to:

  • protect tenants from over-institutionalization,
  • to ensure the residential character of neighborhoods for the benefit of all who reside there, and
  • to preserve the city’s supply of long-term, permanent residential housing, which is essential for the health of all communities.

I will also support efforts by Congress to crack down on patient brokering and addiction treatment fraud, as well as eliminating deceptive search advertising for addiction treatment. I will advocate that all business-operated residences providing services to those in treatment be licensed, and will support measures to ensure resident and community safety.[22]

Social media

Twitter accounts

Facebook accounts

Click the icons below to visit the candidates' Facebook pages.
Democratic Party Diane Harkey Facebook

Republican Party Mike Levin Facebook

Republican district won by Hillary Clinton

See also: U.S. House districts represented by a Republican and won by Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Split-ticket districts in the 2016 presidential and U.S. House elections

This district was one of 25 Republican-held U.S. House districts that Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election.[23] Nearly all were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2018.

Click on the table below to see the full list of districts.


2018 election results in Republican-held U.S. House districts won by Hillary Clinton in 2016
District Incumbent 2018 winner 2018 margin 2016 presidential margin 2012 presidential margin
Arizona's 2nd Republican Party Martha McSally Democratic Party Ann Kirkpatrick D+9.5 Clinton+4.9 Romney+1.5
California's 10th Republican Party Jeff Denham Democratic Party Josh Harder D+2.6 Clinton+3.0 Obama+3.6
California's 21st Republican Party David Valadao Democratic Party TJ Cox D+0.8 Clinton+15.5 Obama+11.1
California's 25th Republican Party Steve Knight Democratic Party Katie Hill D+6.4 Clinton+6.7 Romney+1.9
California's 39th Republican Party Ed Royce Democratic Party Gil Cisneros D+1.4 Clinton+8.6 Romney+3.7
California's 45th Republican Party Mimi Walters Democratic Party Katie Porter D+1.6 Clinton+5.4 Romney+11.8
California's 48th Republican Party Dana Rohrabacher Democratic Party Harley Rouda D+5.8 Clinton+1.7 Romney+11.7
California's 49th Republican Party Darrell Issa Democratic Party Mike Levin D+7.4 Clinton+7.5 Romney+6.7
Colorado's 6th Republican Party Mike Coffman Democratic Party Jason Crow D+11.2 Clinton+8.9 Obama+5.1
Florida's 26th Republican Party Carlos Curbelo Democratic Party Debbie Mucarsel-Powell D+1.8 Clinton+16.1 Obama+11.5
Florida's 27th Republican Party Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Democratic Party Donna Shalala D+6.0 Clinton+19.7 Obama+6.7
Illinois' 6th Republican Party Peter Roskam Democratic Party Sean Casten D+5.6 Clinton+7.0 Romney+8.2
Kansas' 3rd Republican Party Kevin Yoder Democratic Party Sharice Davids D+9.1 Clinton+1.2 Romney+9.5
Minnesota's 3rd Republican Party Erik Paulsen Democratic Party Dean Phillips D+11.4 Clinton+9.4 Obama+0.8
New Jersey's 7th Republican Party Leonard Lance Democratic Party Tom Malinowski D+4.7 Clinton+1.1 Romney+6.2
New York's 24th Republican Party John Katko Republican Party John Katko R+6.3 Clinton+3.6 Obama+15.9
Pennsylvania's 1st Republican Party Brian Fitzpatrick[24] Republican Party Brian Fitzpatrick R+2.6 Clinton+2.0 Obama+2.6
Pennsylvania's 5th Republican Party Pat Meehan[25] Democratic Party Mary Gay Scanlon D+30.2 Clinton+28.2 Obama+27.7
Pennsylvania's 6th Republican Party Ryan Costello[26] Democratic Party Chrissy Houlahan D+17.6 Clinton+9.3 Obama+3.2
Pennsylvania's 7th Republican Party Charlie Dent[27] Democratic Party Susan Wild D+11.3 Clinton+1.1 Obama+7.0
Texas' 7th Republican Party John Culberson Democratic Party Lizzie Pannill Fletcher D+5.0 Clinton+1.4 Romney+21.3
Texas' 23rd Republican Party Will Hurd Republican Party Will Hurd R+0.5 Clinton+3.4 Romney+2.6
Texas' 32nd Republican Party Pete Sessions Democratic Party Colin Allred D+6.3 Clinton+1.9 Romney+15.5
Virginia's 10th Republican Party Barbara Comstock Democratic Party Jennifer Wexton D+12.4 Clinton+10.0 Romney+1.6
Washington's 8th Republican Party David Reichert Democratic Party Kim Schrier D+6.2 Clinton+3.0 Obama+1.6


Click here to see the 13 Democratic-held U.S. House districts that Donald Trump (R) won.

Click here to see an overview of all split-ticket districts in the 2016 presidential and U.S. House elections..

Pivot Counties

See also: Pivot Counties by state

There are no Pivot Counties in California. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won California with 61.7 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 31.6 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, California voted Republican 53.33 percent of the time and Democratic 43.33 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, California voted Democratic all five times. In 2016, California had 55 electoral votes, which was the most of any state. The 55 electoral votes were 10.2 percent of all 538 available electoral votes and were 20.4 percent of the 270 electoral votes needed to win the election.

Presidential results by legislative district

The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state Assembly districts in California. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[28][29]

In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 58 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 38.4 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 66 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 40.3 points. Clinton won 11 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 22 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 12.2 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 14 out of 80 state Assembly districts in California with an average margin of victory of 13 points.


District history

2016

See also: California's 49th Congressional District election, 2016

California's 49th Congressional District was a battleground district in 2016. Incumbent Darrell Issa (R) defeated Douglas Applegate (D) in the general election on November 8, 2016. Issa and Applegate defeated Ryan Glenn Wingo (Independent) in the top-two primary on June 7, 2016.[30][31]

U.S. House, California District 49 General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDarrell Issa Incumbent 50.3% 155,888
     Democratic Douglas Applegate 49.7% 154,267
Total Votes 310,155
Source: California Secretary of State


U.S. House, California District 49 Primary, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDarrell Issa Incumbent 50.8% 84,626
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngDouglas Applegate 45.5% 75,808
     Independent Ryan Wingo 3.7% 6,087
Total Votes 166,521
Source: California Secretary of State

2014

See also: California's 49th Congressional District elections, 2014

The 49th Congressional District of California held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Darrell Issa (R) defeated Dave Peiser (D) in the general election.

U.S. House, California District 49 General Election, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDarrell Issa Incumbent 60.2% 98,161
     Democratic Dave Peiser 39.8% 64,981
Total Votes 163,142
Source: California Secretary of State

State overview

Partisan control

This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in California heading into the 2018 elections.

Congressional delegation

State executives

  • As of May 2018, Democrats held seven of 10 state executive positions and the remaining three positions were officially nonpartisan.
  • The governor of California was Democrat Jerry Brown.

State legislature

  • Democrats controlled both chambers of the California State Legislature. They had a 55-25 majority in the state Assembly and a 27-13 majority in the state Senate.

Trifecta status

  • California was a state government trifecta, meaning that Democrats held the governorship and majorities in the state house and state senate.

2018 elections

See also: California elections, 2018

California held elections for the following positions in 2018:

Demographics

Demographic data for California
 CaliforniaU.S.
Total population:38,993,940316,515,021
Land area (sq mi):155,7793,531,905
Race and ethnicity**
White:61.8%73.6%
Black/African American:5.9%12.6%
Asian:13.7%5.1%
Native American:0.7%0.8%
Pacific Islander:0.4%0.2%
Two or more:4.5%3%
Hispanic/Latino:38.4%17.1%
Education
High school graduation rate:81.8%86.7%
College graduation rate:31.4%29.8%
Income
Median household income:$61,818$53,889
Persons below poverty level:18.2%11.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in California.
**Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

As of July 2016, California had a population of approximately 39,000,000 people, with its three largest cities being Los Angeles (pop. est. 4.0 million), San Diego (pop. est. 1.4 million), and San Jose (pop. est. 1 million).[32][33]

State election history

This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in California from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the California Secretary of State.

Historical elections

Presidential elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the presidential election in California every year from 2000 to 2016.

Election results (President of the United States), California 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 61.7% Republican Party Donald Trump 31.6% 30.1%
2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 60.2% Republican Party Mitt Romney 37.1% 23.1%
2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 61.1% Republican Party John McCain 37% 24.1%
2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 54.4% Republican Party George W. Bush 44.4% 10%
2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 53.5% Republican Party George W. Bush 41.7% 11.8%

U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in California from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

Election results (U.S. Senator), California 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2016 Democratic Party Kamala Harris 61.6% Democratic Party Loretta Sanchez 38.4% 23.2%
2012 Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein 62.5% Republican Party Elizabeth Emken 37.5% 25%
2010 Democratic Party Barbara Boxer 52.2% Republican Party Carly Fiorina 42.2% 10%
2006 Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein 59.5% Republican Party Richard Mountjoy 35.1% 24.4%
2004 Democratic Party Barbara Boxer 57.8% Republican Party Bill Jones 37.8% 20%
2000 Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein 55.9% Republican Party Tom Campbell 36.6% 19.3%

Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in California.

Election results (Governor), California 2000-2016
Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
2014 Democratic Party Jerry Brown 60% Republican Party Neel Kashkari 40% 20%
2010 Democratic Party Jerry Brown 53.8% Republican Party Meg Whitman 40.9% 12.9%
2006 Republican Party Arnold Schwarzenegger 55.9% Democratic Party Phil Angelides 39.0% 16.9%
2002 Democratic Party Gray Davis 47.3% Republican Party Bill Simon 42.4% 4.9%

Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent California in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

Congressional delegation, California 2000-2016
Year Democrats Democrats (%) Republicans Republicans (%) Balance of power
2016 Democratic Party 39 73.5% Republican Party 14 26.4% D+25
2014 Democratic Party 39 73.5% Republican Party 14 26.4% D+25
2012 Democratic Party 38 71.7% Republican Party 15 28.3% D+23
2010 Democratic Party 34 64.1% Republican Party 19 35.8% D+15
2008 Democratic Party 34 64.1% Republican Party 19 35.8% D+15
2006 Democratic Party 34 64.1% Republican Party 19 35.8% D+15
2004 Democratic Party 33 62.3% Republican Party 20 37.7% D+13
2002 Democratic Party 33 62.3% Republican Party 20 37.7% D+13
2000 Democratic Party 32 61.5% Republican Party 20 38.5% D+12

Trifectas, 1992-2017

A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

California Party Control: 1992-2025
Twenty years with Democratic trifectas  •  No Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
Governor R R R R R R R D D D D D R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Senate D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
Assembly D D D S R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

See also

Footnotes

  1. Roll Call, "DCCC Adds 10 More Candidates to Red to Blue," June 15, 2018
  2. Republicans put power of party behind eleven 'Young Gun' congressional candidates," June 29, 2018
  3. Diane Harkey 2018 campaign website, "About Diane," accessed September 17, 2018
  4. San Clemente Times, "Republican Diane Harkey to Run for California’s 49th Congressional District," January 10, 2018
  5. Diane Harkey 2018 campaign website, "About Diane Harkey," accessed October 25, 2018
  6. 6.0 6.1 Diane Harkey for U.S. Congress, "Home," accessed May 15, 2018
  7. Mike Levin 2018 campaign website, "About Me," accessed September 17, 2018
  8. San Diego Union-Tribune, "Environmental attorney Mike Levin announces campaign against Darrell Issa," March 8, 2017
  9. 9.0 9.1 Mike Levin for Congress, "Priorities," accessed October 25, 2018
  10. OpenSecrets.org, "Outside Spending," accessed September 22, 2015
  11. OpenSecrets.org, "Total Outside Spending by Election Cycle, All Groups," accessed September 22, 2015
  12. National Review.com, "Why the Media Hate Super PACs," November 6, 2015
  13. House Majority PAC, "HMP Launches $20 Million Media Blitz in 13 Districts," October 9, 2018
  14. Roll Call, "New Ad Knocks California Republican Diane Harkey on Offshore Drilling," October 9, 2018
  15. CNN, "Hillary Clinton steps up her involvement in the midterms," July 30, 2018
  16. Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
  17. FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
  18. Mike Levin, "Endorsements," accessed March 23, 2018
  19. Diane Harkey for U.S. Congress, "Endorsements," accessed August 13, 2018
  20. Roll Call, "DCCC Adds 10 More Candidates to Red to Blue," June 15, 2018
  21. Republicans put power of party behind eleven 'Young Gun' congressional candidates," June 29, 2018
  22. Mike Levin 2018 campaign website, "Priorities," accessed September 17, 2018
  23. This figure includes Pennsylvania districts that were redrawn by the state Supreme Court in early 2018 and districts that flipped in special elections.
  24. The new 1st district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 8th District held by Fitzpatrick. Click here to read more.
  25. The new 5th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 7th District held by Meehan. Click here to read more.
  26. The new 6th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 6th District held by Costello. Click here to read more.
  27. The new 7th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 15th District held by Dent. Click here to read more.
  28. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
  29. Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
  30. California Secretary of State, "Certified List of Candidates for Voter-Nominated Offices June 7, 2016, Presidential Primary Election," accessed April 4, 2016
  31. The New York Times, "California Primary Results," June 7, 2016
  32. California Demographics, "California Cities by Population," accessed April 2, 2018
  33. U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts California," accessed April 2, 2018



Senators
Representatives
District 1
District 2
District 3
District 4
District 5
District 6
Ami Bera (D)
District 7
District 8
District 9
District 10
District 11
District 12
District 13
Adam Gray (D)
District 14
District 15
District 16
District 17
Ro Khanna (D)
District 18
District 19
District 20
District 21
Jim Costa (D)
District 22
District 23
District 24
District 25
Raul Ruiz (D)
District 26
District 27
District 28
Judy Chu (D)
District 29
Luz Rivas (D)
District 30
District 31
District 32
District 33
District 34
District 35
District 36
Ted Lieu (D)
District 37
District 38
District 39
District 40
Young Kim (R)
District 41
District 42
District 43
District 44
District 45
District 46
District 47
Dave Min (D)
District 48
District 49
District 50
District 51
District 52
Democratic Party (45)
Republican Party (9)