Your Vote: Previewing Nov. 2024 rematches
We are one year from the next general election and two local races are shaping up to be re-matches from 2022.
The 47th Assembly District and the 41st Congressional District races will again be expensive, hard-fought races in 2024
In the 41st congressional district race, Incumbent Republican Ken Calvert will once again face Democratic challenger Will Rollins.
In 2022, Calvert claimed victory by just over 11,000 votes.
Rollins is expecting higher turnout in a presidential election year will help him make up the difference.
"We're expecting another 120,000 people to vote in 2024 and what I've got to do is keep winning independent voters like we did in the midterms," Rollins said.
The district covers a big chunk of the valley with the meat of it being in Western
Riverside County, traditionally Calvert's turf.
He also thinks higher turnout will help him.
"We had an exceptionally low turnout there in the last election. So obviously, the presidential usually will increase that significantly, so i feel pretty good about that," Calvert said.
Both sides will have millions to take their message to voters.
At the end of September, Rollins had nearly $1.5 million cash on hand.
"I think at the end of the day, we're gonna have the resources we need to flip the seat because real human beings are powering this campaign," Rollins said.
Calvert has the edge right now when it comes to cash on hand.
"We have over $2 million dollars in our campaign account, so we're feeling good about our fundraising capability," Calvert said.
The first showdown in 2022 did not include a debate, something Rollins wants.
Calvert won't commit to doing one now, saying he'll make that decision closer to the election.
A re-match is also shaping up in the 47th assembly district.
Republican Greg Wallis won this race by just 85 votes last year over Democrat Christy Holstege.
Last time, the race featured a number of ads, including one that may have backfired on Holstege, by helping Wallis build his name ID, "Wishy Washy Wallis."
"I thank that you know we always try to focus on me as the candidate, what I've delivered and positive, forward, you know facing campaigns," Holstege said about the ad and whether it may have helped voters remember the Wallis name.
Wallis said, "I mean, I don't want to speculate on that, but I will tell you that is the name of my fantasy football team."
Both candidates are expecting another very tight race.
"I expect this to be a top race for both parties. It was last time and it will be again," Holstege said.
"This is going to be ground zero, given the competitive assembly seat, state senate seat and congressional race. So you know, my family gets to look forward to see me on TV more, I guess," Wallis said.
As of the last filing, Holstege held a slim lead with $322 thousand dollars raised this year, to Wallis's $307 thousand dollars.
Both believe higher turnout in the presidential election year should help them.
"I won Riverside County by 8 points and so we expect to continue to win Riverside County by an even larger margin," Holstege said.
"You look at historical turnout and really the main difference is you're going to see a larger share of independent voters," Wallis said.
The race was so close in 2022, it wasn't called until December 7th.
Holstege had gone to Sacramento for orientation because she was ahead in the counting when that was held.
