Republican challenger faces Democratic incumbent
Former San Juan Capistrano city councilman and financial planner Brian Maryott recently won the Republican primary for California’s 49th Congressional District, pitting him against Democratic incumbent Mike Levin for the general election.
The newly redrawn 49th Congressional District features one of the key battleground races in the Nov. 8 election. In the Top Two primary system, Levin got the most votes, with 49 percent, with Maryott finishing second with 19 percent. However, Maryott and four other Republicans garnered a total of 48.6 percent, nearly the same.
The 49th District changed only slightly after redistricting, extending from southern Orange County to northern San Diego County. It also contains many U.S. Marines and support personnel from nearby Camp Pendleton, with party registration leaning slightly Democratic.
In the 2021 recall of Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Yes vote was a surprisingly high 48.6 percent, compared to just 38.1 percent statewide.
Although Republicans are expected to gain a majority in Congress, nothing is certain. Dan Walters, the dean of California opinion columnists, wrote of Democrats keeping the House coming down to winning California districts, “Unlikely, but certainly in the realm of possibility,” which means both parties need to take California very seriously.
