Garcia outpacing Smith in race for 27th House seat
Incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, held an early edge over Democratic challenger Christy Smith for the 27th Congressional District seat, according to early election results posted by the California Secretary of State.
Garcia received 43,162 votes, or 51.8%, and Smith received 40,084 votes, or 48.2%, based on early unofficial returns in Tuesday’s statewide general election.
The early results reflect vote-by-mail ballots returned before Election Day, as well as Vote Center ballots. Results will change as an unknown number of ballots remain to be processed, including voteby-mail ballots postmarked by Election Day but received later and conditional voter registration ballots.
Garcia beat Smith twice, previously. The first time was in a special May 2020
run-off election to see who would complete the remainder of former Rep. Katie Hill’s unexpired term in the 25th Congressional District.
Garcia beat Smith again, in November 2020, for the two-year full-term seat. That contest was close, as Garcia won by 333 votes.
Redistricting after the 2020 census changed the boundaries of the district. The 25th Congressional District, which Garcia currently represents, covers the southern half of the Antelope Valley and extends across the Santa Clarita and Simi valleys. The new 27th Congressional District lies entirely within Los Angeles County. It extends to the Kern County line in the north, Ventura County to the west and to approximately 136th Street East on the east.
Voter registration leans Democratic, according to the secretary of state. As of Oct. 24, 41.75% of registered voters in the district are Democrats; 29.25% are Republican and 21.57% are no party preference.
In Assembly District 34, Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale held a generous lead over Assemblyman Thurston “Smitty” Smith, R-Hesperia, for the state Assembly District 34 seat based on early returns, Tuesday night.
Lackey had 23,896 votes. or 60.5%. and Smith had 15,572 votes. or 39.5%, according to results posted online by the secretary of state.
In the state primary, Smith garnered 31.1% of the vote to Lackey’s 29.7% among six candidates.
The results reflect vote-by-mail ballots returned before Election Day. Results will change as an unknown number of ballots remain to be processed.
Lackey has represented Assembly District 36, since 2014. He is seeking his fifth, twoyear term.
Under Proposition 28, passed in 2012, state lawmakers may serve a lifetime maximum of 12 years in the state Legislature, including a combination of service in the Assembly and Senate.
Smith has represented Assembly District 33, since December 2020. He is a small businessman who has also served as mayor of Hesperia in San Bernardino County.
The two Republican Assembly members are running for the same seat due to redistricting following the 2020 census. The 34th Assembly District covers Kern, Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. The district includes Barstow, Big Bear Lake, California City, Twentynine Palms, Apple Valley and parts of Lancaster, Palmdale, Hesperia, Highland and Victorville.
Voter registration, as of Oct. 24, was 39.09% Republican, 31.66% Democrat and 5.49% American Independent, according to the secretary of state.