Former Assemblywoman Christy Smith, a Democrat, announced Wednesday that she will challenge Republican Rep. Mike Garcia in the 2022 midterm election for Garcia’s 25th Congressional District seat. The 25th District encompasses the Antelope Valley, Santa Clarita and part of Simi Valley.
It will be Round 3 between Smith and Garcia, with Garcia winning both previous encounters.
The former fighter pilot and defense contractor executive beat Smith last spring in a special election for the seat vacated when Democrat Katie Hill resigned following a controversy over intimate pictures. Garcia also defeated Smith in last November’s general election — winning by just 333 votes in a race that drew national attention and national money. Hill had flipped the seat — a longtime Republican stronghold — to the Democratic side in 2018.
Smith, 51, who represented the 38th Assembly District after winning the seat in 2018, pointed to the small margin in the November election as a reason she’s seeking a rematch with Garcia.
“333 votes was the difference,” she says in a campaign commercial released Wednesday. “334 votes is all it will take. Join me. Let’s get this done!”
Smith also told the Los Angeles Times that the coronavirus pandemic played a factor in her most recent loss to Garcia.
“We made a conscious choice not to canvass door to door, which had been our strength in prior cycles,” Smith said, adding that President Joe Biden won the district by more than 10,000 votes in November — but that momentum did not carry down the ballot to the congressional race.
“We know that that’s exactly where our missed opportunity was — knocking on doors, making a compelling case for people to persist through that ballot, to also vote for Congress and their local races,” Smith said.
Smith is a former president of the Newhall school board.
Garcia campaign spokesman Lance Trover called Smith a “failed politician” who is “clearly hoping the third time’s a charm, but no matter how many times she runs and how many times she tries to reinvent herself with voters, the facts are clear: Smith supports higher taxes on working families, public funding of her congressional races while defunding our police, and a wide open border, and those are simply not the values of CA-25 families.”
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Megan says
… the question of the day: what 5 things do all democrat legislators, and all Republican legislators share, in common:
ANSWER:
5). they’re cowards –
4). they’re an arrogant, morally bankrupt, disingenuous lying bunch of crooks –
3). not one iota less could they care about their constituency –
2). they run for office to fund their aspiration, for the Epicurean lifestyle –
1). never will they ever stick their necks out, for anything beyond personal enrichment –
hey! isn't just for horses says
Every last one of them, greedy land grabbers benefiting handsomely from illegal immigration. At least the democrats are honest, freely admitting they’re loyalty is chiefly centered, on illegal immigrants. Republicans aren’t particularly convincing, pretending they aren’t.
E.T. says
Not so fast Chrusty, I’m done with the communist left. I’m remembering how you slighted Mr Garcia because he was a pilot – a veteran who put his life on the line so that I can enjoy Freedom. Freedom that the dems in congress under the tutelage of Nancy P. , seeks to deprive all patriots of, so no, I won’t vote for you!
Matt says
Trump more than slighted McCain. Just curious how you voted in the last two Presidential elections? If Trump, did you change your views on Veterans between now and then, or do you conviently move the goal posts every time it suits you?
Dan says
I’ll vote for you, Christy Smith. We’ll leave them in the dust this time.
Dave says
Exactly. Garcia won by only 300+ votes and acts like he’s in a red state and won a landslide.
Listened in on his town hall phone conference last week. He spent 25 minutes talking about himself and answerd only 3 or 4 questions. Wow. Some town hall.
He’s just going through the motions.
Don T. says
That’s all you got out of it because of your limited mental capacity.
Beecee says
3 strikes and your out loser!
Matt says
Maybe she got cheated by dominion????