This November, voters will have the opportunity to weigh in on a new congressional map that is expected to favor Democrats. If approved, the state would have new districts in time for the 2026 midterm elections next year.
It’s an effort to counter Texas Republicans redrawing their congressional map to favor Republicans, which they did at President Trump’s request.
Governor Gavin Newsom and the state legislature approved a new map for California in response. If voters approve its use, that map will bring about significant changes in San Diego.
Targeting Republicans
The most significant change is to the 48th district, which covers most of East County San Diego. The seat is currently held by Rep. Darrell Issa, the only Republican representing San Diego County in Congress. This is one of the five seats Newsom said he wants to flip from Republican to Democrat.
In 2024, Issa defeated his challenger, Democrat Stephen Houlahan, with 59% of the vote.
Under the proposed map, Republican-leaning areas like Poway, Ramona, Santee and Lakeside would be carved out, and replaced with Vista, part of Oceanside, and parts of Riverside County as far away as Palm Springs.
In the new district, the balance of voter registrations would change from favoring Republicans to strongly favoring Democrats.
Currently, 42% of registered voters in the district identify as Republicans, while 28% identify as Democrats. In the new district, only 29% of registered voters would be Republicans, and 39% would be Democrats.
The change would make Issa’s task of winning re-election in 2026 more difficult, and give a Democratic party challenger a stronger chance. Already, multiple Democrats have announced their plans to run for the seat or are strongly considering a run.
Issa did not respond to a request for comment on the new map and the potential change to his district.
Toss up in the 50th
Targeting Issa’s 48th meant replacing some of the registered Republicans in his district with registered Democrats. But those Republican voters have to go somewhere else, and a lot of them would end up in the 50th district held by Democrat Scott Peters.
The 50th district currently covers Downtown San Diego, Ocean Beach, Pacific Beach, and La Jolla, and most of that area would remain unchanged.
But under the proposal, the northern section of the district would shift from San Marcos, Rancho Santa Fe, Carmel Valley and parts of Del Mar to include Poway, Ramona, and Valley Center, areas with a lot of registered Republicans.
That means the party registration breakdown in Peters’ 50th district would go from 42% Democrats and 26% Republicans to 36% Democrats and 32% Republicans. That could make the district competitive in 2026.
But Peters said he’s ready to represent whatever his district looks like next fall.
“I’ve really oriented my service around San Diego,” Peters said. “Serving the economies that drive it, the military and veterans, the border, tourism and science and innovation. I think those issues all apply wherever I am.”
Peters reiterated that redrawing the congressional map is not something he would usually support, but is a necessary response to Republicans’ actions in Texas – even if it makes his district less blue.
“I’m willing to be a team player,” he said, “and I’ve represented Poway before. I can do it again.”
Urban districts extend East
San Diego’s urban areas are largely divided among two districts, CA-51 and CA-52, represented by Democrats Sara Jacobs and Juan Vargas, respectively.
Jacobs’ 51st covers a large swath of San Diego, from Bay Park and Clairemont to Lemon Grove and El Cajon, and stretching as far north as Mira Mesa and Carmel Mountain Ranch.
Vargas represents City Heights, Barrio Logan, National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, San Ysidro, and Otay Mesa.
Under the proposal, both of these districts would be extended much further east, cutting into what is currently Issa’s 48th district and absorbing some registered Republicans in the process.
But neither district is likely to change from a safe blue seat. The party registration breakdown in Vargas’ 52nd would change from 47% Democrats and 18% Republicans to 45% Democrats and 22% Republicans.
Jacobs’ 51st would go from 41% Democrats and 26% Republicans to 42% Democrats and 27% Republicans.
Jacobs said she’s excited to represent San Diego no matter what her district looks like.
“I love getting to represent our community in Congress,” Jacobs said. “And to me, this is just an opportunity to get to know better even more communities around San Diego.”
