Barnstorm

Harris and Newsom to barnstorm Southern California in final House push

By CARLA MARINUCCI

California gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom and Sen. Kamala Harris — two of the nation’s most outspoken Democratic critics of President Donald Trump — will barnstorm together this weekend in a final push to energize voters in key House races that could determine control of Congress.

The joint campaign swing by Harris and Newsom to four closely contested House districts in Southern California on Saturday underscores the high stakes of the races — for Democrats, the road to a House majority goes through solidly blue California, where seven GOP incumbents have been targeted for defeat.

The stumping by Newsom and Harris represents a rare joint appearance by two Democratic rising stars from the nation‘s most populous state. Both are San Francisco-based politicians who, at times, have been viewed as political rivals in a state where Democrats hold a 17-point registration advantage over Republicans.

Newsom, the former San Francisco mayor, holds a solid double-digit lead in the polls in California’s gubernatorial race and appears headed toward victory against Republican businessman John Cox. Harris, a first-term senator and former San Francisco district attorney, recently made her first appearance in the early presidential state of Iowa, amping up speculation about her 2020 plans.

Newsom and Harris will campaign together in Santa Clarita on Saturday morning to support both Assembly candidate Christy Smith and Democratic House candidate Katie Hill, a nonprofit executive whose tight race in the 25th Congressional District against incumbent GOP Rep. Steve Knight is viewed as a prime Democratic opportunity to flip a House seat.

Later in the day, they’ll head to Orange County to appear with comedian Chelsea Handler to support Katie Porter, the UC Irvine law professor and consumer advocate who has mounted a strong challenge to incumbent GOP Rep. Mimi Walters in the 45th Congressional District.

Both Harris and Newsom are then expected to drop by the Costa Mesa campaign office of Democrat Harley Rouda, whose campaign against GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Huntington Beach in the 48th Congressional District is also view as a toss-up in most polls.

Newsom and Harris will close out their joint day of campaigning with an appearance on behalf of Gil Cisneros, who’s in a neck-and-neck race with Republican Young Kim to fill the open seat in the 39th District.