McGuire flips California House seat in redistricting shake-up

Democrat Mike McGuire is projected to win California’s 1st District, according to Decision Desk HQ (DDHQ).

McGuire defeated Republican Rep. James Gallagher, flipping a Northern California seat that became a prime Democratic pickup opportunity following a contentious redistricting battle . For Gallagher, the defeat marks an abrupt end to a short stint in Washington.

DDHQ reported McGuire leading Gallagher by over 16 points with 49 percent of ballots counted.

The Republican won a special election in June to replace Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.), who died in January after representing the region for more than a decade.

But the district Gallagher won over the summer looked dramatically different from the one voters weighed in on this week.

California voters approved Proposition 50 late last year, temporarily redrawing the state’s congressional map in response to a Republican-led redistricting push that began in Texas at President Trump’s urging.

The new boundaries brought more Democratic voters into the 1st District, including portions of Sonoma and Mendocino counties, while shifting several Republican strongholds into neighboring districts.

Under the previous boundaries, Trump carried the district by roughly 25 percentage points in 2024. The new map would have favored former Vice President Kamala Harris by approximately 12 points.

DDHQ rated the race as “safe Democratic” ahead of Election Day.

McGuire, a California state Senate leader, has served in the state Legislature since 2014 and previously held local offices in Sonoma County, including mayor of Healdsburg, Calif. His campaign focused heavily on opposition to Trump’s agenda, including federal healthcare cuts and tariffs, while also emphasizing wildfire prevention and affordability.

Gallagher, meanwhile, criticized the redistricting effort and sought to highlight his record representing rural Northern California communities.