What’s at stake in this race
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives run for election every two years, putting all 52 California seats on the 2026 primary ballot. Democrats hope to leverage voter discontent with President Donald Trump and oust Republicans from control of the chamber. The road to a majority could run through California, where congressional districts were redrawn under Prop. 50. Five seats currently in Republican hands could flip to Democrats. Contests in Central Valley and San Diego County are on national watchlists of closest races in the country.
In Southern California, few races are considered to be competitive when it comes to which party’s candidate is like to win. We cover one race that fits that category, District 48, in depth below.
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A civics refresher
The House is one of two chambers of Congress, the other being the Senate. The House and Senate both draft, debate and pass bills that ultimately need approval from both chambers and a president’s signature to become law. The House has to initiate any bills that have to do with taxation, although the Senate can propose changes.
The House has a total of 435 representatives, each of whom represents a district. District lines are drawn so that each represents roughly the same number of people — 700,000 on average. Since California has the highest population in the country, the state’s 52 representatives are the most of any state. The job holder must:
Help craft legislation — though strictly speaking it is not a requirement.Persuade a majority of your 434 colleagues, or at least the leaders, that the specific concerns of your constituents should be a priority.Be in constant campaign mode, especially fundraising, because you have to run again in 2026 to keep the post.
Why these races matters
When voting, you’re not just thinking about who you want your representative to be, but how they would contribute to the overall makeup and political direction of the House of Representatives. The House’s ability to pass laws, cooperate with the president, or get anything done in general depends a lot on what those divisions look like — if there’s a Republican or Democratic majority, how large that majority is, and the ratio between moderates and those with farther right or farther left views. And often, bills are passed — or rejected — strictly along party lines.
Look up your district
District 48
(
Calmatters via Open Street Maps
)
Partisan Lean: Leans Democratic
Voter Registration: Democratic 37%, Republican 33%, no party preference 22%
Democrats are targeting this San Diego-area seat currently held by Republican Rep. Darrell Issa. It covers most of East and North County San Diego and parts of Riverside County, including Palm Springs. Its voter makeup shifted from deep red to slightly blue under Prop. 50.
After Republican Rep. Darrell Issa announced his retirement on the eve of the deadline to file for the ballot, San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond quickly changed districts and instantly became the Republican favorite in the race. Two main Democrats are vying to challenge him: San Diego Councilmember Marni von Wilpert and former Obama official Ammar Campa-Najjar, who are both trading barbs in their quest to challenge Desmond, who is expected to advance.
Candidates
Ammar Campa-Najjar
Party: Democratic
Occupation Navy Officer/Educator
Key Endorsements
Abel Chavez
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Teacher/School Boardmember
Stephen Clemons
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Energy Systems Executive
Corinna Contreras
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Vista City Councilmember
Jim Desmond
Party: Republican
Occupation: San Diego County Supervisor
Key endorsements
Kevin Patrick O’Neil
Party: Republican
Occupation: Computer Software Engineer
Ferguson Porter
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Small Business Owner
Luis F. Reyna
Party: No Party Preference
Occupation: Civil Rights Organizer
Brandon Riker
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Small Business Owner
Mike Schaefer
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Member Ca. Board of Equalization
Eric Shaw
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Digital Marketing Executive
Marni von Wilpert
Party: Democratic
Occupation: Councilwoman/Health Advocate
Key endorsements
Related Links
Read more about other competitive races
Calmatters has more details on: District 3 | District 4 | District 6 | District 7 | District 11 | District 14 | District 22
Use this lookup tool to find details about your district’s candidates:
Reporting by Gina Pollack for LAist in 2024 is included in this guide.