California could flip the House, and these 13 races will make the difference
The stakes are high in the 2018 midterm elections: control of the U.S. House. For Democrats to reclaim power, they must forge a path through California. The party considers nine districts here to be battlegrounds and can't win the House without winning at least a few of them.
Midterm elections tend to bring out the most reliable voters, and incumbents are reelected more than 90% of the time, meaning the status quo is the most likely outcome.
Taking multiple factors into account, The Times’ California politics editors have ranked the hottest races by the intensity of the fight ahead for the congressmen (and one congresswoman). We’ll be updating our rankings, and subscribers to the Essential Politics newsletter will be the first to learn what’s changed.