Calvert vs. Rollins: California’s 41st congressional district among the key battles affecting the balance of power

CORONA, Calif. (KABC) — One of the important congressional battles in Southern California is the Inland Empire’s 41st District, with a rematch of Democrat Will Rollins is seeking to unseat incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert.

Rollins fell short by about 11,000 votes in his 2022 campaign to unseat the Republican who has held the seat since 1993. But the challenger hopes his continued efforts, increased name recognition and higher turnout in the presidential election will give him a better chance. good this time. around.

The district encompasses communities that include Corona, Menifee, Lake Elsinore and Palm Springs.

Millions of dollars have been spent in a district that experts say is vulnerable to change and will therefore affect the national balance of power in Congress.

The two candidates spent Tuesday criss-crossing the district and thanking their supporters and volunteers.

Calvert said that if re-elected, he would prioritize energy production to help keep inflation under control.

“The first thing we need to do is lower the price of gas and food,” Calvert said. “The fastest way to do this is to lower energy costs. I want to work to make sure we meet the legislation to do just that. That means more oil and gas production and all that energy. The drop in the cost of energy which I think is the biggest contributor to inflation.”

Rollins said fighting corruption in Congress and enforcing term limits are a priority, in addition to improving the state’s housing situation.

“In addition to lowering the cost of housing for people in California, we need to get some people who want to fight corruption in both parties in Washington,” Rollins said.

If history is any guide, projecting a winner in this race could take days.