Hakeem Jeffries California/ reclaim House majority/ House races 2024/ California competitive districts/ Democratic campaigns/ Newslooks/ LOS ANGELES/ CALIFORNIA/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries campaigned across California to rally support for Democratic candidates in key districts. Targeting traditionally GOP-held seats, he aims to regain the House majority by flipping critical California districts. Jeffries joined local Democrats in efforts to reverse recent Republican gains in this blue state.
California House Campaigns Quick Look
- Objective: Democrats need to flip four GOP-held seats to reclaim House control.
- Campaign Trail: Jeffries focused on key California regions, including Orange County and Antelope Valley.
- Republican Counter: Speaker Mike Johnson campaigned for GOP candidates in competitive districts.
- Strategic Stops: Jeffries supported candidates like Derek Tran and George Whitesides in high-stakes races.
- National Influence: Key races in California and New York could determine the House majority.
Hakeem Jeffries Campaigns in California to Win Back House
Deep Look
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries intensified his push to flip control of the U.S. House, campaigning in several high-stakes California districts over the weekend. As part of a concentrated effort to rally voters, Jeffries met with Democratic candidates and supporters in diverse Southern California communities, including the heavily Vietnamese-American area of Little Saigon in Orange County and the aerospace hub of Palmdale in Antelope Valley. These visits underscored the Democratic focus on California as essential to winning back the House majority.
Although California leans Democratic, recent GOP gains in key districts led to a Republican House majority, and Jeffries is focused on reversing this trend. “California is incredibly important, particularly this cycle, given the volume of competitive races that will help decide control of the House,” he told the Associated Press during his visit. Currently, Democrats need to flip four GOP-held seats to reclaim the majority, with California offering five competitive seats that could play a decisive role.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was also in California, making rounds in Orange County to bolster GOP candidates, including newcomer Matt Gunderson, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Mike Levin. Johnson expressed confidence in the GOP’s ability to defend their California seats, telling CBS, “I believe Republicans are going to win the House, grow the House majority.” His visits included fundraising and voter engagement events aimed at expanding the Republican foothold in California’s traditionally competitive districts.
In Little Saigon, a stronghold for the Vietnamese-American community, Jeffries met with Democratic candidate Derek Tran, who is running against Republican incumbent Rep. Michelle Steel. Tran’s victory would mark a historic first for Vietnamese representation in the House Democratic caucus. “This is going to be a close race,” Jeffries said, acknowledging the importance of securing support from minority communities in districts like Orange County, which was once a Republican stronghold but has shown more Democratic support in recent elections.
In Palmdale, Jeffries rallied over 200 volunteers at a union hall, sending them out to canvas in support of Democrat George Whitesides, a former NASA official and Virgin Galactic executive challenging Republican incumbent Mike Garcia. Garcia, a veteran Navy fighter pilot, narrowly won his seat in 2020 and remains a focal point for the GOP’s defense strategy in California. Whitesides, new to political campaigns, has garnered considerable support from local volunteers, including Pasadena aerospace engineer Dave Guttman, who expressed determination in mobilizing voters.
Jeffries’ visit follows a strategic tour across states with close congressional races, including stops in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Arizona, underscoring his commitment to national outreach. California, alongside New York, has emerged as a major battleground, where blue states are surprisingly vulnerable due to shifting political dynamics.
In the Republican camp, strategist Lance Trover emphasized that California remains competitive for the GOP despite its blue-state status, highlighting past successes in flipping Democratic seats. “Southern California races are always competitive, but Republicans keep having success,” he noted, referring to recent GOP victories in regions that voted Democratic in the presidential race.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump held a rally in Coachella, California, where he criticized the Democratic-led state government, labeling California a “paradise lost.” His rally drew a large crowd, reinforcing GOP efforts to energize their base in the state’s conservative pockets.
With election season in full swing, California’s districts are shaping up to be some of the most pivotal in the 2024 congressional race. For Democrats, reclaiming these districts is not only about regaining a numerical majority but also about re-establishing a foothold in areas that had once been reliably Democratic. Jeffries’ California tour, alongside grassroots mobilization efforts, marks a determined step toward flipping the House, while Republicans work equally hard to defend and expand their gains.
