George Whitesides

In the 2024 House race for CA-27, George Whitesides (D) defeated Mike Garcia (R) 51.3% to 48.7%. George Whitesides received 154,040 votes compared to 146,050 for Mike Garcia, a narrow 2.7-point margin that would have flipped with a small shift in turnout or persuasion.

George Whitesides defeated the incumbent Mike Garcia (R), which is a significant political event — most incumbents win re-election by wide margins. This was a general election upset. The 2024 presidential election drove higher voter turnout, which can help or hurt down-ballot candidates depending on the top of the ticket. Given the narrow margin, this seat is likely to remain competitive and attract heavy investment in the next cycle.