The 48th district was redrawn to favor Democrats.
Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond will face Democrat Marni von Wilpert, a San Diego city councilor, in the general election for the newly drawn district in Southern California.
Trump-endorsed Desmond received 41 percent of the vote, and Wilpert, who is backed by labor unions, received 19.5 percent, with 58 percent reporting.
Ammar Campa-Najjar, a former Obama administration staffer, received 9.6 percent. Kevin O’Neil, the only other Republican candidate in the race, received 7.2 percent of the votes. Brandon Riker, an investor endorsed by Congressman Ro Khanna, received 6.6 percent, according to the latest preliminary results.
All other Democrats—Abel Chavez, Corinna Contreras, Mike Schaefer, Eric Shaw, Ferguson Porter, and Stephen Clemons—received less than 5 percent, while No Party Preference (NPP) candidate Luis Reyna received less than 1 percent of the vote.
Desmond fought hard against the Biden administration during the border crisis for its impact on San Diego County. He terms out as county supervisor on Jan. 4, 2027.
With President Donald Trump’s backing, Congressman Darrell Issa won the historically red district with 59 percent of the vote in 2024. But Issa announced in March will retire when his current term ends Jan. 2, 2027.
Issa made the decision not to seek reelection after California voters approved Proposition 50, which shook up long-held Republican districts across California. Prop. 50 was California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s direct response to redistricting in Texas, which appeared to give GOP candidates an edge in the midterm elections.
Boundaries were redrawn under California Proposition 50 earlier this year, making the district more favorable for Democrats. About 64 percent of California voters approved the redistricting plan as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in a special election on Nov. 4, 2025.
The district has shifted away from the eastern rural areas in San Diego and Riverside counties, which favored Republicans. The new boundaries include the cities of Escondido, San Marcos, and Vista in San Diego County, as well as Palm Springs and parts of Temecula and Hemet in Riverside County.
The Cook Political Report had rated the 48th Congressional District as light blue, leaning Democratic.
By Brad Jones
