(CN) — The May 12 special election for California’s 25th Congressional District lacks a clear front-runner as voters in the swing district north of Los Angeles consider which party receives the praise, or blame, for recovery efforts during an economic downturn fueled by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The district — which includes parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties — has a history of backing moderate Republicans, but most recently elected Democrat Katie Hill in the 2018 blue wave that secured the Democrats' control of the House.
Hill resigned in November following an ethics probe of leaked photos of her relationship with a campaign aide, leaving the district without a representative in Congress for the past six months.
Democrat Christy Smith also flipped a seat that year from red to blue: California’s 38th Assembly District, which covers nearly 60% of the congressional district.
Smith is now her party’s top contender in the 25th District race after advancing from a crowded field of candidates in the March 3 special primary with 35.9% of the vote.
She will face off against Republican Mike Garcia, a political newcomer and former U.S. Navy pilot, who had 23.2% of the vote, according to county election results.
The candidate who secures the most votes on May 12 will serve in the House until January while the candidate who wins the November general election will serve the two year term beginning next year.
Smith positioned herself as the frontrunner early on in the race and has picked up steam after gaining endorsements from the state Democratic leaders, local unions and, most recently, former U.S. President Barack Obama.
“Now, more than ever, we need pragmatic, experienced and effective leaders in Washington,” Obama said in a statement.
Obama’s own meteoric rise in politics and his popular campaign for president has inspired Democrats in the 25th District race, Smith said in response to the endorsement.
Kunal Atit, a Smith campaign spokesperson, said the candidate was unavailable for an interview.
Smith said in a statement her record demonstrates her commitment to the public and her ability to guide the district through the health and economic crisis it faces.
“I am running this race making voters a very simple and straight forward promise, that if they elect me to serve them in Congress, I will work day in and day out to find solutions to the pressing problems we now all face like access to affordable healthcare, and real economic relief for families and local businesses, and I will never get caught up in the politics that so often paralyze our system,” Smith said.
Smith and Garcia have each raised more than $2 million for their campaigns and have about $320,000 on hand, according to Federal Election Commission data.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the House Majority PAC have spent roughly $467,000 and $35,000, respectively, to oppose Garcia’s run, according to FEC data.
DCCC staffer Andy Orellana said the national party has poured funds into the race to ensure residents’ health care is a top priority for the district’s next leader.
“Mike Garcia has made his agenda clear: repeal health care protections, allow insurance companies to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and hike up costs for life-saving drugs,” Orellana said.
Lance Trover, a Garcia campaign spokesperson, said the candidate was unavailable for an interview.
In a statement, Garcia said he was running to curb tax increases enacted by Smith and other California Democratic leaders.
“Frankly, [Smith] hasn’t met a tax she didn’t want to raise,” Garcia said. “Southern Californians simply cannot afford more taxes and we cannot take liberal Sacramento policies to Washington.”
Garcia slammed Smith for supporting Assembly Bill 5, a law designed to require gig-economy companies to offer employee status and benefits to their workers.
