On December 20th, the California Citizens Redistricting Commission unanimously approved new congressional and state legislative boundaries. The new maps increase the number of Latino-majority districts in the state and give Democrats an opportunity to pick up more seats, even as the overall state delegation shrinks. The finalization of the maps prompted numerous members of Congress to announce their bid for re-election, but these same lines could also cause various interparty and incumbent clashes. The districts of five incumbent Republicans were changed in ways that may make those districts more favorable to Democrats, including the districts of Representatives Tom McClintock (R-Elk Grove), David Valadao (R-Tulare), Mike Garcia (R-Palmdale), Ken Calvert (R-Riverside), and Michelle Steel (R-Orange County).
