Who's In the Race
California's 27th U.S. House District will head to the general election on Nov. 3, where Democratic incumbent George Whitesides (D-CA) will face off against Republican challenger Jason Gibbs, a mechanical engineer and former Santa Clarita mayor.
Whitesides served as NASA chief of staff during the Obama administration and was the first CEO of Virgin Galactic before winning the House seat in 2024. Gibbs was elected to the Santa Clarita City Council in 2020 and served as mayor in 2023. In the June 2 primary, both Gibbs and Whitesides took about 41% of the vote, with Roberto Ramos and Caleb Norwood, both Democrats, finishing third and fourth. Given that California operates based on a top-two vote-getter selection process for primaries, only Whitesides and Gibbs advanced to the general election.
What They Stand For
Whitesides has focused on lowering everyday costs, including food, housing, gas, child care and health care, according to his official House economy page. He also supports the improvement and expansion of public schooling, including the advancement of local STEM programs. Whitesides is a member of the House Armed Services Committee as well as the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Gibbs has said he will fight to lower living costs by opposing new taxes, supporting energy affordability and holding government accountable for wasteful spending, according to his campaign website. He has also supported law enforcement, opposed what he calls "soft-on-crime" policies and called for ending catch-and-release justice. On immigration, he has supported securing the border, cracking down on fentanyl trafficking and ending policies that reward illegal entry while also supporting legal immigration.
The Money Behind the Race
Federal Election Commission filings show Whitesides raised about $3.96 million through June 30 and had about $2.55 million in the bank. His filings also show him to be about $1.31 million in debt. Meanwhile, Gibbs raised about $379,000 through June 30 and had about $202,000 on hand, with no debt reported.
Outside groups had spent about $481,000 in the race as of Oct. 8, nearly all of it backing Whitesides. The largest outside spender was Protect Progress, which put in about $476,000 in support of Whitesides. The Conservative Caucus DBA Americans for Constitutional Liberty spent about $4,552 opposing Whitesides.
Race Outlook: Ratings and Betting Markets
The Cook Political Report rated the race Solid Democratic as of Sept. 25, Sabato's Crystal Ball rated it Solid Democratic as of Sept. 29, and Inside Elections rated it Solid Democratic as of Oct. 2. On Kalshi, traders gave Democrats a 97.05% chance of winning as of Oct. 8.
In 2022, Republican Mike Garcia won the district with about 53% of the vote. In 2024, Whitesides flipped it, winning with about 51%. Democrats hold a commanding majority of California's U.S. House delegation, winning 40 of 52 seats in 2022 and 43 in 2024. On a national scale, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris carried California in the 2024 presidential election with about 58% of the vote.
---
AllCiv makes it easy to stay politically informed and involved.
---
Spot something wrong? Report an issue with this article