2 toss-up races in California push Latino voters to the front lines of the battle to control the House

Democrat Rudy Salas vies to be the first Latino in Congress from the Central Valley, while Republican Rep. Mike Garcia aims to retain his northern Los Angeles district in two competitive House races.

Two starkly different House candidates, in separate races, personify the intensifying ideological partitioning occurring within the once strongly Democratic constituency of Latino voters, whose numbers are growing.

Should he win his race, Democrat Rudy Salas would be the first Latino elected to Congress from a district in California’s Central Valley. Rep. Mike Garcia hopes for another term representing a northern Los Angeles suburban district.

Their highly competitive races, along with a few other California congressional races, have pushed Latino voters to the front lines of the bitter fight for control of the House.

Republicans hold the House majority, and Democrats need a net gain of four seats to seize control, which is possible regardless of who wins the White House. 

Five California House races have been rated as toss-ups by the Cook Political Report, meaning they are where Democrats have the best chances of flipping seats. They include District 22, where Salas, a former state Assembly member, is challenging GOP Rep. David Valadao, and District 27, where Garcia is trying to fend off a challenge from Democrat George Whitesides, a businessman, nonprofit organization leader and former NASA chief of staff.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/california-salas-garcia-house-control-tossup-races-rcna178189

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