The 2026 Midterms, California, LA County, SGV

The Democrats don’t have a known good strategy to limit Trump’s authoritarian power grab, irrational wars, or even to deliver a coherent anti-fascist message. Despite this, they keep trying. Here are some key issues.

Congressional Power – they need to gain seats in the House of Representatives and the Senate, to have the power to prevent legislation from passing, to censuring the President.
Abolish ICE – Trump’s push to create a huge paramilitary to go after immigrants and their allies is part of a larger push to increase racism, oppress people of color, and roll back the gains of the Civil Rights Movement.
- Blue MAGA
Misogyny Politics – in the wake of the Harris loss, mainstream people started to contend with how much sexism affected the vote, and why. The Epstein Files release showed that online “manosphere” activism by right wing and centrists pushing patriarchy, via avenues like “the redpill”, “incels”, and “mens rights activists” affected the vote, and created a generation of voters who were willing to vote for Trump. Will the people join up to oppose this?

SoCal Midterm Battleground Races

See Ballotpedia

Battlegrounds

I’m including only well funded rivals in these lists, compiled from the Ballotpedia information.

This is a contest to get second place, to move onto the general election.

CA 27 – George Whitesides (D) vs. Jason Gibbs (R)

CA 40 – Young Kim (R) vs. Ken Calvert (R), Esther Kim Varet (D). The old map was Pomona to Mission Viejo. The new map is Orange to Mission Viejo to Murietta.

CA 41 – Ken Calvert (R) vs. Linda Sanchez (D), Hector de la Torre (D). The district changed shape from one covering Covina to Palm Springs, to one covering Downey to Brea.

CA 47 – Dave Min (D) vs. Eric Troutman (D)

Esther Kim Varet might flip the R district to D.

If Whitesides loses, we could lose a D district.

Scandals

Ken Calvert was busted with a SW in his car. Later admitted to having sex with SW. Also, anti-LGBT+ opponent.

Young Kim and Ken Calvert both oppose impeaching Trump.

Katie Porter got viral, negatively, for a couple videos where she’s angry. Antonio Villaraigosa cheated on his wife.

Alternative Party Protest Voting

Cal. Governor – Butch Ware. He’s polling around 2%. The front runners as of 3/6 are two Republicans, because the Dems have split their voters among a huge field, led by Swalwell, Porter, and Steyer.