U.S. House race offers insight into shifting Democratic Party
LOS ANGELES—The crowded campaign for an open congressional seat in a strongly Democratic district in Southern California could provide a hint about the direction of the party in the age of Donald Trump.
The race among nearly two dozen candidates for the vacant House seat in a district that falls mostly within Los Angeles could be viewed as a continuation of last year's presidential primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, which showcased the split between establishment Democrats and the party's left wing.
The contest comes at a time when Democrats across the U.S. have been sparring over the party's future after losing control of the presidency and both chambers of Congress in November.
Sanders narrowly carried the House district over Clinton.
The first congressional primary since Trump's election is being watched nationally for insights into how the party is shifting. Democrats have seen their power waning across the country—Republicans sit in 33 governor's chairs, control 32 state legislatures and, if Neil Gorsuch is confirmed, will secure a conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court.
"It's time to change politics as usual," said Ken Zinn, political director for National Nurses United, which supports former Sanders adviser Arturo Carmona.
The front-runner in Tuesday's election is widely viewed as Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez, a Democrat whose home turf in the Legislature overlaps with the 34th Congressional District.
He's lined up the kind of establishment support that usually proves decisive in local contests, including the backing of the California Democratic Party and endorsements from Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the former congressman, Xavier Becerra, who stepped down after he was appointed state attorney general.
For rival Carmona, Democrats need to embrace issues championed by the Vermont senator, including universal health care, closing the growing wealth gap and making education free at public colleges and universities.
The similar agendas aren't surprising. Carmona was a deputy political director for Sanders' campaign last year. He's one of several candidates who point to Sanders as an inspiration.
"We can change our nation and keep the American dream alive by rejecting establishment politics," he says on his website, which prominently features a snapshot of him with the senator.
The echoes of Sanders and Clinton from last year are one plot in the race with 23 candidates on the ballot. Trump has been a target for just about everyone.
A sparse turnout is expected, so there's uncertainty about the outcome. An early look at voting suggests ethnic politics also are influencing the contest.