But his efforts, despite his pomp and soapbox flair<\/a>, up to this point have run into a hard ceiling. As the minority chair of the chamber\u2019s main investigative committee, he and his colleagues can pursue inquiries and lob questions at witnesses, but they cannot issue subpoenas or call hearings without Republican support.<\/p>\n This year, Democrats have the chance to flip that dynamic, empowering their colleagues on the committee by taking the House.<\/p>\n Political experts are confident Garcia will retain his seat \u2014 even with it newly redrawn to include conservative Huntington Beach<\/a> \u2014 just as they are sure Democrats will have successful midterms. But a shrinking number of obtainable seats caused by rampant gerrymandering efforts nationwide may ultimately determine control of the U.S. House and scramble the math.<\/p>\n Currently, Republicans hold a narrow 218-215 majority in the House, with several vacancies due to resignations and deaths. For Democrats to seize power, they must defend their battleground seats and flip at least eight Republican-held districts out of roughly 18 tightly contested races nationwide, according to the Cook Political Report<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tight competitions are especially fraught in Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Arizona.<\/p>\n Eric McGhee, an analyst with the Public Policy Institute of California, said history is already on Democrats\u2019 side.<\/p>\n Typically, the party out of power gains congressional seats. And this year, he said, their odds are buttressed by President Trump\u2019s declining approval ratings, high gas prices and a stalled war in Iran. Noting that general frustrations may dissuade regular Republicans from voting, McGhee believes Democrats have the odds in their favor to reclaim the House.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll just put it this way, I would be surprised if they didn\u2019t,\u201d McGhee said, citing recent polls.<\/a><\/p>\n However, the climb may not be simple. A nationwide redistricting battle, in which Republicans and Democrats across the country have resorted to gerrymandering to draw safer districts ahead of midterms, has cut down the number of competitive races, mostly in favor of the G.O.P.<\/p>\n Through redrawn maps in Texas, Florida, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio, Republicans have shifted 14 seats to tilt in their favor, attempting to lessen the traditional midterm advantages of the party out of power.<\/p>\n Voting districts are typically only redrawn once a decade, after each census.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/20aug25-8-20-25-garcia-10-760165-4lf2ayj9-952756-v5OE12UV-1024x779.jpg\")
Congressman Robert Garcia and Kamala Harris, former vice president, celebrate after she swore him in as the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee in Long Beach, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.<\/p>\n