George Whitesides has defeated three-term GOP Rep. Mike Garcia, flipping a long-coveted Los Angeles area House seat to the Democrats’ column.
Garcia — who conceded the race Monday — was a top target for multiple cycles, given the Democrats’ 10-point registration advantage in the district and his conservative votes in the House. But he had proven surprisingly durable in the blue-leaning seat, leaning on his fighter-jet pilot past to appeal to voters in a district dominated by aerospace.
This time, Democrats were able to successfully use Garcia’s record against him, particularly as they hammered him on his past support for a national abortion ban.
The party also fielded a stronger challenger to take on Garcia. Whitesides, the former CEO of Virgin Galactic, delivered his own aerospace bona fides and a strong fundraising performance. He was aided by millions of dollars in spending from Democratic outside groups, a stark contrast from 2022 when they pulled out of the pricey Los Angeles media market in the closing weeks of the campaign.
