Confident in their hold on the county, Republicans were surprised by the 2018 Democratic sweep — just as surprised as Democrats who realized they could win in the county if they put more time and energy into local outreach. “For the foreseeable future, it will be competitive and a place either party can win if they invest their resources and identify the right candidates,” said Louis DeSipio, a professor in political science and Chicano/Latino studies at UC Irvine.

For the full story, please visit https://www.politico.com/news/2022/07/12/midterms-elections-battlegrounds-orange-county-california-00043173.