Homosexual Dem Robert Garcia may signify Huntington Seashore after Pleasure flag ban

In a twist of political irony, a conservative California metropolis that voted to ban Pleasure flags on authorities buildings may quickly be represented in Congress by an overtly homosexual lawmaker.

Huntington Seashore — identified for declaring itself a “non-sanctuary metropolis” — has been pulled right into a newly redrawn congressional district that features Lengthy Seashore, the political base of Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, the Los Angeles Instances reported.

The change comes after California voters authorized Prop 50, a plan to redraw congressional maps in an effort to counter Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas.

It was simply two years in the past when Huntington Seashore residents authorized a constitution modification that restricted what flags may very well be flown on metropolis property. Many critics stated the measure was geared toward stopping Pleasure flags from being displayed at authorities buildings.

The proposal handed with about 58% of the vote, in keeping with the Orange County Registrar. Nonetheless, turnout was comparatively low, with solely about 23% of registered voters casting ballots.

Underneath the rule, the town is barely allowed to show a restricted variety of flags. These embrace the U.S. flag, the California state flag, the Orange County flag, the Huntington Seashore metropolis flag, and sure army or Olympic flags.

In response to the up to date district map, Garcia’s forty second congressional district nonetheless covers Lengthy Seashore, however now stretches south into Orange County. The district drops a number of Southeast Los Angeles County communities — together with Downey and Bell Gardens — and as an alternative provides the coastal cities of Huntington Seashore and Newport Seashore.

The 2 cities have been conservative strongholds in Orange County with vital, registered Republican majorities, bringing in additional proper leaning voters into the district, creating a singular political combine between liberal Lengthy Seashore and Orange County.

Paul Mitchell, a redistricting specialist who helped design the brand new boundaries for Democrats, acknowledged the distinction created by the map.

“I say that each time a district crosses the L.A.–Orange County border, a Democrat will get its wings,” Mitchell instructed the Instances. He famous that extending the Lengthy Seashore-based seat down into Huntington Seashore means Garcia will now signify a metropolis whose conservative Metropolis Council has typically clashed with the values of the overtly homosexual congressman.

Regardless of the district turning into barely extra conservative, Democrats nonetheless consider Garcia has a robust likelihood of successful reelection. Previous election outcomes present the world nonetheless leans Democratic total, even with the addition of recent Republican voters.

The redistricting shake-up can be creating ripple results in different congressional races throughout California.

Veteran Republican Rep. Darrell Issa just lately introduced he won’t search reelection after the brand new map positioned him in a extra Democratic-leaning district. In the meantime, Northern California Rep. Kevin Kiley has introduced he’ll run as an unbiased somewhat than a Republican after his district was damaged up through the redrawing course of.

One other newly drawn district that spans components of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties can be anticipated to pit two Republican incumbents in opposition to one another in a aggressive race.

For Huntington Seashore, nonetheless, the brand new map may result in a shocking end result — a conservative metropolis that when voted to limit Pleasure flags might quickly be represented in Washington by a homosexual man.

Garcia, the primary homosexual immigrant elected to Congress, has been serving since 2023 and was beforehand married to California State College, Lengthy Seashore professor Matthew Mendez.

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