The f ight for Congress

A look at the key congressional races that could have an effect well beyond California.

10th District

Dynamics: Democratic voters slightly outnumber Republicans in the 10th District, but higher Republican turnout has kept it in GOP hands. After Hillary Clinton won here in 2016, Democrats began targeting the district. The incumbent Denham has repeatedly attacked first-time candidate Harder, former vice president of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm, as a “Bay Area” candidate. Harder, born and raised in the district, contends Denham abandons promises to constituents and votes along party lines.

Denham, 51, voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act and voted for the Republican healthcare bill, which a Congressional Budget Office report said would undermine such coverage for people with preexisting conditions.

Harder, 32, supports Medicare for all and wants to reduce healthcare costs by limiting what he calls pharmaceutical companies’ monopolistic practices, allowing imports of medicine from Canada and paying providers for quality of care, not volume.

Both candidates say they will fight for the district’s water supply, support a pathway to citizenship for participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, and oppose separating families at the border.

“Since tax reforms went into effect, we’ve hit record-breaking economic milestones.” — DENHAM

“Plain and simple, the Republican Tax Scam is a massive middle finger to California families.” — HARDER

Race rating: Toss-up

25th District Rep. Steve Knight (R-Palmdale) vs. Katie Hill (D)

Dynamics: Knight is defending his seat in Los Angeles County’s last remaining Republican-held congressional district. Once predominantly white and Republican, the 25th has become more diverse as newcomers are drawn to relatively affordable housing. Democrats now outnumber Republicans, and the district favored Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential race.

Knight, 51, an Army veteran, former Los Angeles police officer and former state lawmaker, votes almost always with his party. He backed the 2017 tax changes and the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, but opposed separating immigrant children from their parents at the border with Mexico. His 2016 statement that “Social Security was a bad idea” caused him political trouble, and he has vowed since to defend the program.

Hill, 31, a former executive at a nonprofit that provides services to the homeless, has charted a centrist course, vowing to cut the cost of prescription drugs, expand health coverage and cut taxes for the middle class. She has criticized Trump’s agenda on many fronts but pledged to work across party lines.

“The cause of our national debt is not a lack of tax revenue — instead it was created by a spending addiction in Washington.” — KNIGHT

“[We need to] ensure that the wealthy pay at least the same percentage of their income in taxes as the rest of us.” — HILL

Race rating: Toss-up

39th District Young Kim (R) vs. Gil Cisneros (D)

Dynamics: The open seat is considered one of Democrats’ best pickup opportunities in the state. Republicans once held a voter registration advantage, but now it’s about even between the two parties. Asians and Latinos, who generally trend Democratic, make up about two-thirds of residents here. Kim, an immigrant and former state assemblywoman, would be the first Korean American woman elected to Congress. Navy veteran Cisneros became a philanthropist after hitting a multimillion-dollar lottery jackpot in 2010. Kim and conservative groups say the first-time candidate doesn’t have enough experience to lead. Cisneros and Democrats say Kim would be a “rubber stamp” for President Trump and out of line with constituents on immigration and reproductive rights.

Kim, 56, has criticized the Affordable Care Act but has bucked the Trump administration on some policies, opposing family separations at the border and effort to reduce family sponsorship visas. The former staffer for retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) picked up his endorsement.

Cisneros, 47, says he will work to defend and improve the Affordable Care Act and called the Republican tax bill a tax cut for billionaires. He supports stronger gun laws, including an assault weapons ban and increased background check requirements for gun purchases.

Both candidates say they support a path to citizenship for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients.

“As a legal immigrant to the United States, I see California’s sanctuary state law as an affront to law-abiding citizens and a threat to public safety.” —KIM

“The Trump administration’s ‘zero-tolerance’ immigration policy is cruel, inhumane, and goes against everything our country should stand for.” — CISNEROS Race rating: Toss-up

45th District Rep. Mimi Walters (R-Irvine) vs. Katie Porter (D)

Dynamics: Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by 7 points in this wealthy, highly educated suburban district, but no-party-preference voters make up almost 30% and could be a deciding factor. Walters handily won her second term in 2016, but the district favored Clinton, making it a focal point for Democrats in the midterm. UC Irvine law professor Porter’s campaign has focused on Walters’ record of voting along Trump’s policy lines nearly 99% of the time. Republican ads have attacked Porter, a consumer protection attorney and former student of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), as too liberal for the district.

Walters, 56, voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, as well as for the Trump tax overhaul bill, which could be costly for many Californians. She supports beefed-up border security, including a physical wall, and says she wants to gut family-based immigration.

Porter, 44, supports a single-payer healthcare system and says she will fight to overturn Trump’s tax plan. She has pledged not to take money from corporate PACs and says she will work on legislation to end corporate influence in politics.

Both candidates support allowing participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to remain in the country. Both are against the recently passed state gas tax targeted for repeal — an effort Walters has funded.

“[Porter] is on the same page with Elizabeth Warren as far as wanting universal healthcare .... These are just policies that will not sit well in the district. — WALTERS “All Orange County families are hurt by Mimi Walters’ terrible vote against our interest on the tax plan, for example, against our interest in support of Trump’s healthcare plan.” — PORTER

Race rating: Toss-up

48th District Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) vs. Harley Rouda (D)

Dynamics: GOP voters in the 48th still greatly outnumber Democrats and have sent Rohrabacher to Congress for 30 years running, but a growing number of independent voters helped put Hillary Clinton over the top in 2016, giving Democrats their first real hope of taking the seat. Rouda, a real estate entrepreneur and former Republican, has raised more than twice as much as Rohrabacher. The congressman’s camp says the Democrat is on the radical left in terms of immigration. Rouda says the incumbent has done little for his district, and criticizes his close relationship with Russia and support of oil drilling off the coast.

Rohrabacher, 71, supports a border wall and opposes a path to citizenship for immigrants who came here illegally. He says he wants protections for people with preexisting conditions, but voted against Obamacare and for the GOP healthcare bill, which a Congressional Budget Office report said would undermine such coverage. He favors oil drilling off California’s coast and does not believe in human-induced climate change.

Rouda, 57, says he will work to foster a more bipartisan climate in Washington. He wants to expand the Affordable Care Act, moving ultimately to a Medicare-for-all model. He supports mandatory background checks for all gun buyers and a ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines. He favors closing tax loopholes for the wealthy and is against drilling off the coast.

There is little common ground in this combative race.

“We have millions of people here illegally ... [draining] money away from education, healthcare, veteran benefits.” — ROHRABACHER

“We need to fight for what we believe in but reach across the aisle to serve our country and community. I’m not going there to impeach Donald Trump.” — ROUDA

Race rating: Toss-up

49th District Diane Harkey (R-Dana Point) vs. Mike Levin (D)

Dynamics: Republicans have a voter registration advantage in the 49th Congressional District, but a large block of independent voters will probably determine the outcome of the race. The district has been in Republican hands for 15 years under incumbent Republican Darrell Issa (R-Vista), who barely won reelection in 2016. Harkey is a member of the state’s Board of Equalization, and Levin is an environmental attorney.

Levin, 40, worked for Hilary Clinton’s campaign in the state Democratic Party and is considered a “business Democrat.” He wants to expand background check requirements for gun purchases and ban assault weapons; he opposes concealed carry reciprocity and arming teachers. He says the U.S. must get serious about combating climate change and supports Medicare for all.

Harkey, 67, a former state assemblywoman, supports Trump and advocates a mainstream conservative agenda on a wide range of tax and economic issues. She has spoken against gun regulations and questioned how much the U.S. should regulate emissions to combat climate change. She opposes “sanctuary” policies.

“Taxpayers need someone to fight for them, and I have always done that. I have never raised taxes. — HARKEY

“As a member of Congress I will support a pathway to citizenship for those working to make their American dream come true.” — LEVIN

Race rating: Lean Democratic

50th District Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine) vs. Ammar Campa-Najjar (D)

Dynamics: The district’s 27% Democratic voter registration is the lowest in the state, but a Justice Department investigation and August indictment of Hunter has made the race somewhat competitive. Hunter and his wife pleaded not guilty to felony charges of misusing campaign funds, conspiracy and fraud. Campa-Najjar, a Mexican Palestinian American who worked in the Obama administration, has said the indictment shows Hunter’s lack of fitness for office. Hunter has claimed Campa-Najjar, who held a security clearance at the White House, is a national security risk because of his father’s involvement in the Palestinian Liberation Organization and his grandfather’s involvement in Black September.

Hunter, 41, supports building a wall along the entire U.S.-Mexico border and wants to eliminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and the visa lottery system. He has said he is willing to raise the age of Medicare and Social Security eligibility to 72 to reduce the national debt.

Campa-Najjar, 29, wants to improve and mandate the E-Verify system for confirming employment eligibility and supports bipartisan immigration reform that offers increased border security and a pathway to citizenship for DACA participants. He supports a public buy-in option for Medicare as a steppingstone toward Medicare for all.

Both candidates support repealing the gas tax and strengthening the National Instant Criminal Background Check System for gun purchases.

“Trump understands that the only way to fix something that is so broken as our system is to break it totally.” — HUNTER

“What do I like about Donald Trump? He speaks his mind. What I don’t like about Donald Trump? He speaks his mind.” — CAMPA-NAJJAR

Race rating: Lean Republican