Latest news with #DougLaMalfa
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrat Audrey Denney will run against Rep. Doug LaMalfa if CA approves new maps
Democrat Audrey Denney, a two-time challenger of Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa, said she will step back into the ring if California voters approve new congressional maps this November. Gov. Gavin Newsom officially launched the redistricting campaign Thursday, after threatening retaliatory action for weeks in response to Texas' legislative effort to redraw districts that will give the GOP five more seats, at President Donald Trump's behest. Proposed maps leaked Friday show LaMalfa's 1st Congressional District, reliably red in the rural North State, would contain more Democratic parts of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties. Denney, currently an ag consultant and the incoming Director of Civic Engagement at Chico State, has worked in various roles across the public and private sectors. 'I know I would be a hell of a lot better than the representative that got booed out of his hometown this Monday,' she said, referring to a raucous town hall LaMalfa hosted Monday. Neither LaMalfa's former campaign office nor his Chico district office responded to calls Friday afternoon. However, in a statement released with other members of the California Congressional Republicans in late July, the longtime politician pledged to fight against the redistricting effort. 'It's a shame that Governor Newsom and the radical Left in Sacramento are willing to spend $200 million on a statewide special election, while running a deficit of $20 billion, in order to silence the opposition in our state,' the statement read, in part. Denney has squared off with LaMalfa twice before, first in 2018 and again in 2020. In 2018, she received 45.1% of the vote in comparison to LaMalfa's 54.9%. In 2020, she received 43% of the vote compared to LaMalfa's 57%. She said she likes her chances with the new maps, and feels they will build on an existing foundation. 'I carried Butte County both times that I ran,' she said. 'So we'll have Butte, and then Glenn, Lassen, Plumas and Tehama are the other counties that I've run in before that I will have good name recognition in.' As for how she's different from LaMalfa, aside from pointing out he's been in elected office since she was in high school, Denney, 41, said she has no aspirations to be a career politician, and wouldn't take corporate PAC money. 'I want to go to D.C. for a couple of terms, help fight back against this authoritarianism, push through some policies to help make our forests safer and boost our local economy, address climate change — those are the things I want to do.' The proposed maps also show districts represented by Republican Reps. Kevin Kiley, David Valadao, Ken Calvert and Darrell Issa would be at risk if voters approve them. If successful, the effort would increase Democrats' holdings in the state from 43 to 48 of the state's 52 U.S. House seats. Redistricting veteran Paul Mitchell drafted the maps. The Legislature must still approve the maps, a constitutional amendment and a special election next week for the redistricting proposition to make it onto the ballot. Both Assembly and Senate elections committees will hold hearings Tuesday morning to discuss the special election and proposed maps.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Leaked chart reveals winners and losers in California's Democratic gerrymander
More details on California Democrats' proposed overhaul to the state congressional map are coming to light in advance of the official release of the new boundaries. State lawmakers were briefed Wednesday evening on the expected partisan tilt of all 52 congressional districts, providing the clearest view yet of which Republican districts they are targeting. The changes, which are not yet final, were detailed in a chart obtained by POLITICO and confirmed by multiple legislators and staffers. CD-1, the rural northeastern corner of the state represented by Republican Rep. Doug LaMalfa, transforms from safe Republican to safe Democratic CD-3, a sprawling district along California's eastern border represented by GOP Rep. Kevin Kiley, goes from safe Republican to safe Democratic CD-9, Democratic Rep. Josh Harder's northern Central Valley district, moves from lean Democratic to safe Democratic CD-13, a Central Valley seat narrowly won last year by Democratic Rep. Adam Gray, changes from lean Republican to safe Democratic CD-27, a northern Los Angeles County seat held by Democratic Rep. George Whitesides, moves from lean Democratic to safe Democratic CD-41, a battleground seat held by GOP Rep. Ken Calvert, transforms from safe Republican to safe Democratic CD-45, which Democratic Rep. Derek Tran won last year in the most expensive race in the country, goes from lean Democratic to safe Democratic CD-47, an Orange County district represented by Democratic Rep. Dave Min, moves from lean Democratic to safe Democratic CD-48, which spans Riverside and San Diego counties and is held by GOP Rep. Darrell Issa, changes from safe Republican to lean Democratic. The new maps could also see more Democrats added into the Central Valley district of GOP Rep. David Valadao, who has already been able to defy gravity in a seat with a Democratic registration advantage. Gov. Gavin Newsom, speaking to reporters after he kicked off the campaign to give voters final approval over the still-unreleased districts, teased their imminent debut. "People are eager to see the maps,' he said. 'We anticipate that these maps will completely neuter and neutralize what is happening in Texas." Republicans are already denouncing the move. The nine-member California Republican House delegation released a joint statement Thursday pointing to the newest POLITICO-Citrin Center-Possibility Lab survey which found strong bipartisan majorities prefer district lines be drawn by an independent commission than lawmakers. 'Governor Newsom is trying to grab power away from the citizens on the commission and give it to Sacramento politicians to gerrymander their own districts,' the statement said. 'Our delegation will stand with the citizens of California and defend their rights as they stand today in our state constitution by opposing Newsom's ballot measure. All Californians, regardless of their political affiliation, should vote NO on this attempt to eliminate the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission's ability to draw fair congressional districts.' The unveiling of the maps as soon as Friday sets the stage for a week-long sprint through the Legislature. Legislators must approve a constitutional amendment to be approved by the voters, as well as companion bills to put the maps in statute as well address the cost of the special election and other logistics. The bills are expected to be heard by the elections committees in both houses on Tuesday and appropriations committees on Wednesday before final floor votes Thursday. The breakneck speed means that none of the measures can be amended without facing a delay under the 72-hour rule.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats Unveil Map Targeting California GOP House Members
(Bloomberg Government) -- Top Democrats released a draft congressional map Friday that may lead to Republicans losing five US House seats as Democratic leaders in the state push to offset possible GOP gains from redistricting in Texas. The California map released Friday by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee would imperil the 2026 re-election bids of California Republicans including Reps. Doug LaMalfa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao, Ken Calvert, and Darrell Issa. It would also bolster some swing-district Democrats who won close 2024 elections. The US-Canadian Road Safety Gap Is Getting Wider Festivals and Parades Are Canceled Amid US Immigration Anxiety A Photographer's Pipe Dream: Capturing New York's Vast Water System To Head Off Severe Storm Surges, Nova Scotia Invests in 'Living Shorelines' Five Years After Black Lives Matter, Brussels' Colonial Statues Remain 'We will not stand by as Republicans attempt to rig the election in their favor and choose their voters,' Julie Merz, executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said he will ask California voters to approve new congressional districts in a special election on Nov. 4 if Republican lawmakers in Texas go ahead with redrawing congressional maps in that state at President Donald Trump's urging. The governor was joined by other federal and state Democratic officials Thursday at an event to build support for the plan. Kiley, a leading Newsom critic who represents some Sacramento suburbs and Lake Tahoe, would receive Democratic voters in Sacramento now represented by Rep. Doris Matsui (D) and Rep. Ami Bera (D). Kiley said he expects voters will reject the Democratic proposal and will keep his district intact. 'We will defeat Newsom's sham initiative and vindicate the will of California voters,' he said in a post on X. The proposed map would shake up several races ahead of a June 2, 2026, primary election, likely spurring additional candidates to jump into newly competitive races while emboldening Democrats who have already launched campaigns targeting vulnerable Republicans such as Valadao, who represents a Central Valley swing district. The California map would also boost Reps. Adam Gray and Josh Harder, the only California Democrats from districts that favored Trump in 2024. Gray would receive voters in the Stockton area now represented by Harder, whose San Joaquin County-centered district would move westward to take in more Democrats from Contra Costa County. The top two finishers in each primary race, regardless of party, would face off in next November's general election. Democrats hold 43 of California's 52 congressional districts, which were drawn by an independent commission under a process approved by voters in 2010 that was meant to take power over redistricting away from politicians. Newsom is proposing to get around that process by asking voters to approve the new map directly. California lawmakers, who return from summer recess Aug. 18, will have until Aug. 22 to pass legislation with support from supermajorities in the Senate and Assembly to formally call for the election, according to the secretary of state's office. Assembly and Senate committees plan to hold Aug. 19 hearings on the redistricting plan. The map would only take effect if approved by California voters, and if Texas goes ahead with its redistricting plans, Newsom said. The redistricting commission would redraw the districts after the next census in 2030. Greg Giroux in Washington also contributed to this story. To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Oxford in Sacramento at To contact the editors responsible for this story: Bill Swindell at ; Loren Duggan at ; Cheryl Saenz at (Updates with comments from Merz and Kiley, and adds analysis of the changes in some key districts.) Americans Are Getting Priced Out of Homeownership at Record Rates What Declining Cardboard Box Sales Tell Us About the US Economy Bessent on Tariffs, Deficits and Embracing Trump's Economic Plan Twitter's Ex-CEO Is Moving Past His Elon Musk Drama and Starting an AI Company Dubai's Housing Boom Is Stoking Fears of Another Crash ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrats Unveil Map Targeting California GOP House Members
(Bloomberg Government) -- Top Democrats released a draft congressional map Friday that may lead to Republicans losing five US House seats as Democratic leaders in the state push to offset possible GOP gains from redistricting in Texas. The California map released Friday by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee would imperil the 2026 re-election bids of California Republicans including Reps. Doug LaMalfa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao, Ken Calvert, and Darrell Issa. It would also bolster some swing-district Democrats who won close 2024 elections. The US-Canadian Road Safety Gap Is Getting Wider Festivals and Parades Are Canceled Amid US Immigration Anxiety A Photographer's Pipe Dream: Capturing New York's Vast Water System To Head Off Severe Storm Surges, Nova Scotia Invests in 'Living Shorelines' Five Years After Black Lives Matter, Brussels' Colonial Statues Remain 'We will not stand by as Republicans attempt to rig the election in their favor and choose their voters,' Julie Merz, executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a statement. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said he will ask California voters to approve new congressional districts in a special election on Nov. 4 if Republican lawmakers in Texas go ahead with redrawing congressional maps in that state at President Donald Trump's urging. The governor was joined by other federal and state Democratic officials Thursday at an event to build support for the plan. Kiley, a leading Newsom critic who represents some Sacramento suburbs and Lake Tahoe, would receive Democratic voters in Sacramento now represented by Rep. Doris Matsui (D) and Rep. Ami Bera (D). Kiley said he expects voters will reject the Democratic proposal and will keep his district intact. 'We will defeat Newsom's sham initiative and vindicate the will of California voters,' he said in a post on X. The proposed map would shake up several races ahead of a June 2, 2026, primary election, likely spurring additional candidates to jump into newly competitive races while emboldening Democrats who have already launched campaigns targeting vulnerable Republicans such as Valadao, who represents a Central Valley swing district. The California map would also boost Reps. Adam Gray and Josh Harder, the only California Democrats from districts that favored Trump in 2024. Gray would receive voters in the Stockton area now represented by Harder, whose San Joaquin County-centered district would move westward to take in more Democrats from Contra Costa County. The top two finishers in each primary race, regardless of party, would face off in next November's general election. Democrats hold 43 of California's 52 congressional districts, which were drawn by an independent commission under a process approved by voters in 2010 that was meant to take power over redistricting away from politicians. Newsom is proposing to get around that process by asking voters to approve the new map directly. California lawmakers, who return from summer recess Aug. 18, will have until Aug. 22 to pass legislation with support from supermajorities in the Senate and Assembly to formally call for the election, according to the secretary of state's office. Assembly and Senate committees plan to hold Aug. 19 hearings on the redistricting plan. The map would only take effect if approved by California voters, and if Texas goes ahead with its redistricting plans, Newsom said. The redistricting commission would redraw the districts after the next census in 2030. Greg Giroux in Washington also contributed to this story. To contact the reporter on this story: Andrew Oxford in Sacramento at To contact the editors responsible for this story: Bill Swindell at ; Loren Duggan at ; Cheryl Saenz at (Updates with comments from Merz and Kiley, and adds analysis of the changes in some key districts.) Americans Are Getting Priced Out of Homeownership at Record Rates What Declining Cardboard Box Sales Tell Us About the US Economy Bessent on Tariffs, Deficits and Embracing Trump's Economic Plan Twitter's Ex-CEO Is Moving Past His Elon Musk Drama and Starting an AI Company Dubai's Housing Boom Is Stoking Fears of Another Crash ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Bloomberg
3 days ago
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Democrats Unveil Map Targeting California GOP House Members
Top Democrats released a draft congressional map Friday that may lead to Republicans losing five US House seats as Democratic leaders in the state push to offset possible GOP gains from redistricting in Texas. The California map released Friday by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee would imperil the 2026 re-election bids of California Republicans including Reps. Doug LaMalfa, Kevin Kiley, David Valadao, Ken Calvert, and Darrell Issa. It would also bolster some swing-district Democrats who won close 2024 elections.
