Whitesides Wins California's 27th District House Race

Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.) conceded to Democrat George Whitesides in the race for California's 27th Congressional District, marking a significant victory for Democrats in an otherwise challenging election cycle. Garcia, a three-term incumbent and former Navy fighter pilot, lost with 48.8% of the vote to Whitesides' 51.2%, as projected by NBC News. Whitesides, a former NASA chief of staff and Virgin Galactic CEO, was a top recruit for Democrats, who capitalized on Garcia's conservative voting record, including his support for a national abortion ban. Despite Democrats' strong registration advantage in the district, Garcia had previously proven resilient in this blue-leaning area. With several races still undecided, Republicans are projected to maintain a slim majority in the House, but California remains pivotal in determining the final balance of power. This outcome marks Garcia as the only multi-term House Republican to lose reelection in 2024 so far, amidst a broader Republican success in securing control of both the White House and Senate.