The consequences from the new, voter-approved congressional maps for California are starting to take form — and an image of how Proposition 50 will influence 2026 campaigns is rising.
In Los Angeles County, Rep. Linda Sánchez, who represents California’s thirty eighth District, not too long ago introduced that she is going to search reelection — however in what is going to change into California’s forty first Congressional District. That’s as a result of Whittier, the place she lives, was moved into the brand new forty first District below the voter-approved Proposition 50 maps.
Her transfer over to the forty first District signifies that her present seat within the thirty eighth District shall be stuffed by a non-incumbent subsequent yr.
After all, the thirty eighth District seems a bit totally different below the brand new maps.
The redrawn thirty eighth District sweeps throughout L.A. County, taking within the cities of Bell, Commerce, El Monte, Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, Montebello, Pico Rivera and West Whittier. It would additionally embody Yorba Linda in Orange County. But it surely loses present constituents in Whittier, Santa Fe Springs, Norwalk and La Habra.
At the least two folks — L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis and Pico Rivera Councilmember Monica Sánchez (no relation to Linda Sánchez) — have introduced their candidacies for the brand new thirty eighth District, organising a Democrat-on-Democrat race with doubtlessly extra candidates becoming a member of the fray within the coming weeks.
Each candidates have spoken of the necessity to ship a “fighter” to Washington, D.C., as a foil to President Donald Trump and his administration.
“The working folks of Southern California are below assault by the Trump administration — and I received’t simply stand by and let it occur,” Solis stated when she introduced her candidacy in August.
“I’ve been standing up for the folks — and towards Trump — as a supervisor, and now it’s time to marketing campaign for the Home and combat for the folks and democracy within the Congress,” she stated.
Monica Sánchez, in an announcement asserting her candidacy, stated the group wants “a fighter in Washington with the power to face up for working folks and tackle the Trump administration and the corrupt system in Washington that enables firms to get wealthy whereas we wrestle to pay for healthcare, childcare, and groceries.”
“I’ll deliver the change we’d like in Washington — to combat again towards the Trump administration’s blatant abuse of human rights and the refusal of congressional Republicans to cease medical health insurance premium will increase, and to work arduous to make dwelling in California extra inexpensive,” stated Monica Sánchez.
Solis, who lives within the San Gabriel Valley metropolis of El Monte, is finishing her ultimate time period on the county Board of Supervisors and can’t search reelection to that seat subsequent yr as a consequence of time period limits. She beforehand served in Congress from 2001 to 2009 and was secretary of the U.S. Division of Labor below the Obama administration from 2009 to 2013.
Seven present Home members have endorsed Solis, in response to her marketing campaign web site. They embody Reps. Judy Chu, Laura Friedman, Robert Garcia, Luz Rivas, Brad Sherman and Maxine Waters, all of whom signify L.A. County. She’s additionally endorsed by Rep. Lou Correa of Orange County.
Monica Sánchez, an educator who works for the L.A. County Workplace of Schooling, beforehand served as mayor of Pico Rivera, one of many Gateway Cities in southeastern L.A. County.
She’s endorsed by two congressmembers — together with Rep. Linda Sánchez. Rep. Norma Torres, who represents communities in L.A., Riverside & San Bernardino counties, has additionally endorsed the Pico Rivera councilmember, in response to her marketing campaign.
Each candidates for the thirty eighth District have additionally listed numerous native mayors, metropolis councilmembers and college board officers endorsing them on their web sites.
Each candidates “have elements of incumbency,” stated Mike Bonin, the chief director of the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA.
“Hilda (Solis) is admittedly well-known. She was in Congress earlier than. She has quite a lot of incumbent benefits though she doesn’t truly maintain that seat,” stated Bonin.
However, he famous, voters used to seeing a “Sánchez” on the poll due to the present officeholder’s identify won’t understand {that a} totally different Sánchez is working within the thirty eighth District subsequent yr. These voters, he stated, would possibly assume they’re voting for Linda Sánchez as an alternative of Monica Sánchez, which may assist her prospects.
How the race shapes up may even rely upon one other issue that has but to be decided: Will the maps created by Proposition 50 that California voters simply authorized be those that Home candidates finally run on?
That poll measure, pushed by Gov. Gavin Newsom and different Democrats, suspended congressional maps beforehand created by a nonpartisan impartial redistricting fee in favor of gerrymandered maps which might be doubtless to provide Democrats 5 extra Home seats within the 2026 midterm elections. The Proposition 50 maps are for use for the 2026, 2028 and 2030 congressional races.
Supporters of the measure stated the mid-decade redistricting was a response to an analogous gerrymandering effort by Texas Republicans who modified their state’s congressional maps on the prompting of Trump in an effort to assist Republicans preserve management of the Home subsequent yr.
However opponents declare the maps created below Proposition 50 are unconstitutional.
The U.S. Division of Justice on Thursday joined a lawsuit beforehand filed by the California Republican Get together that challenges the Proposition 50 maps. The Justice Division alleged that it was race, quite than partisanship, that drove Newsom and California legislators to redraw the congressional maps. In its submitting, the DOJ stated the maps have been drawn to favor Hispanic voters and argued that racial gerrymandering is unconstitutional.
The Justice Division desires a choose to invalidate the maps authorized below Proposition 50, making them unusable forward of the 2026 elections.
“The race-based gerrymandered maps handed by the California Legislature are illegal and unconstitutional,” Invoice Essayli, who serves as the primary assistant U.S. lawyer, stated Thursday. “We’re transferring swiftly to stop these unlawful maps from tainting our upcoming elections.”
The response from the Newsom administration was additionally swift: “These losers misplaced on the poll field and shortly may even lose once more in courtroom,” Brandon Richards, a spokesperson for the governor, stated shortly after Thursday’s DOJ announcement.
Within the meantime, Bonin doesn’t suppose anybody severely mulling a run for Congress is ready to see if or how the courts will rule on this case earlier than asserting their candidacy.
Some candidates might wait as late as January to declare, he stated, however anybody critical about working ought to make up their minds quickly with the intention to have time to arrange a viable marketing campaign operation.
“For those who’re going to make a run, you’ve obtained to be beginning within the subsequent couple of weeks,” Bonin stated. “By the point it (the lawsuit) will get resolved, it might be too late to say sure (to working).”
