Democrat George Whitesides is set to win the House Seat for California’s heavily Democratic Congressional District 27.
Democrat George Whitesides is set to win the House Seat for California’s heavily Democratic Congressional District 27, as incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Garcia conceded in the race on Monday night.
In a post to X at 7 p.m. local time, Garcia said he had spoken with Whitesides to congratulate him on his win.
“I will ensure a smooth handoff of open constituent case work packages to him and his team,” wrote the former navy fighter pilot, who was endorsed by President-elect Donald Trump.
“Representing the people of California’s 27th Congressional District the last 4.5 years has been an honor of a lifetime, I want to thank my family for making the sacrifices, and my team and my volunteers for working harder than any other team in the nation during this journey of providence.
“I will always seek to serve this wonderful nation in any capacity and remain at her disposal for the maintenance of her splendor, the security of her people and the protection of her future.”
Having received 48.8 percent of the vote, Garcia’s made the announcement as Whitesides led by 2.4 percentage points, or 6,983 votes, with 51.2 percent of the vote. An estimated 83 percent of the votes has been counted.
Former NASA chief of staff during the Obama administration and former CEO of Virgin Galactic, Whitesides is new to politics and offered to use his business experience to solve problems. He has the support of national Democrats.
Whitesides also made a statement on X, thanking voters for their support.
“It’s the honor of a lifetime to serve you in Congress,” he said. “Rep. Garcia called me earlier to concede the race, and I thanked him for his years of service to our district and to the nation.
“In Congress, you can count on me to right to create more good local jobs, lower everyday costs, build safe communities, protect Social Security and Medicare, and protect reproductive freedom.”
During his time in office, Garcia racked up a conservative voting record. He sponsored the “No Frankenrail Act of 2024” to prohibit the use of federal funds for certain high-speed rail projects until specific conditions had been met.
District 27 encompasses parts of northern Los Angeles County, such as the high desert communities of Lancaster, Palmdale, and Santa Clarita. The district has an 11-point Democratic registration edge.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.