Republicans in California's Latino-majority districts, including Indio and Coachella, are poised to flip Democratic state House seats.
Jeff Gonzalez, a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is expected to defeat Democrat Joey Acuña, the education commissioner, in the 36th Congressional District.
As of Friday, Mr. Gonzalez was leading by an overwhelming margin of 4,362 votes, or 3.1%, according to official counts.
If Gonzalez crosses the line, it would be the first time since 1992 that a California Republican won a state House seat during a presidential term, said California Assemblyman Bill Esseri.
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Jeff Gonzalez, a veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, is expected to defeat Democrat Joey Acuña, the education commissioner, in the 36th Congressional District. (© Richard Louis/Desert Sun)
If Gonzalez is elected, he will become the next state representative for the vast district, replacing longtime Democratic Rep. Eduardo Garcia. Garcia, a Coachella native, has decided not to seek re-election this year and instead support Acuña, the Coachella Valley Unified School District board president, according to the Desert Sun.
The impending seat gains are underscored by the fact that Democrats make up about 42.3% of the district's 245,500 registered voters, while Republicans make up 28.7%. According to the Desert Sun, 21.6% of voters were unaffiliated.
Mr. Gonzalez received about 21,000 votes in the March primary, compared to about 12,000 for Mr. Acuña. But overall, Democratic candidates received about 4,500 more votes than Republican candidates.
Vice President Harris easily won the deep blue state of California, with 92.85% of votes counted and currently leading President-elect Trump 58.8% to 38%.
Gonzalez, a 21-year veteran of the Marine Corps, also served as embassy guard in Honduras and the Czech Republic, and worked closely with former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, according to his campaign website. and,
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Jeff Gonzalez speaks with voters at an election fair and voter registration drive at College of the Desert on October 21, 2024 in Palm Desert, California. (Jay Calderon/Desert Sun/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
According to his website, he is also a pastor and the owner of three small businesses. He is married and has four sons, one of whom is physically and mentally disabled and lives with his wife for caregiver support.
Mr. Gonzalez ran on a platform of tearing down bureaucracy, lowering taxes and fees on groceries and gasoline, and “reviving the California dream.”
He also wants to address inflation by passing “the largest middle-class tax cut in California history.”
Gonzalez is also concerned about declining test scores and graduation rates and has vowed to improve education. He wants to hire more teachers and strengthen school security to create safer learning environments, as well as foster bipartisan cooperation by supporting good ideas on both sides.
Mr. Acuña worked on addressing affordability, housing and public safety.
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Vice President Harris easily won the deep blue state of California, with 92.85% of votes counted and currently leading President-elect Trump 58.8% to 38%. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarborough)
“We want to ensure that children growing up in our district have access to good-paying jobs, safe neighborhoods, world-class schools, and clean air and water,” he says on his website.
Mr. Acuña is serving his fifth term on the Coachella Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees. In this role, he has worked to improve graduation rates, strengthen after-school programs and expand the district's college and career pathway programs, according to his website.
He works professionally as a clinic development manager and as a grant writer for local tribes.
