California's 23rd congressional district is a

congressional district Congressional districts, also known as electoral districts and legislative districts, electorates, or wards in other nations, are divisions of a larger administrative region that represent the population of a region in the larger congressional bod ...

in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. The district is represented in the

118th United States Congress The 118th United States Congress is the next meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It is scheduled to meet in Washington ...

Jay Obernolte Jay Phillip Obernolte ( ; born August 18, 1970) is an American politician, businessman, and video game developer serving as the U.S. representative for since 2021. A Republican, he was previously a member of the California State Assembly represe ...

The current district includes parts of the southern

San Joaquin Valley The San Joaquin Valley ( ; es, Valle de San Joaquín) is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies south of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the San Joaquin River. It comprises seven ...

, the

Tehachapi Mountains The Tehachapi Mountains (; Kawaiisu: ''Tihachipia'', meaning "hard climb") are a mountain range in the Transverse Ranges system of California in the Western United States. The range extends for approximately in southern Kern County and northwe ...

and southern Sierra Nevada, and the northwestern

Mojave Desert The Mojave Desert ( ; mov, Hayikwiir Mat'aar; es, Desierto de Mojave) is a desert in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada mountains in the Southwestern United States. It is named for the indigenous Mojave people. It is located primarily ...

. It comprises most of

Kern County Kern County is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 909,235. Its county seat is Bakersfield. Kern County comprises the Bakersfield, California, Metropolitan statistical area. The county sp ...

and portions of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

and Tulare counties. Cities in the district include Porterville, Ridgecrest, most of Bakersfield, and part of Lancaster. With a

Cook Partisan Voting Index The Cook Partisan Voting Index, abbreviated Cook PVI, CPVI, or PVI, is a measurement of how strongly a United States congressional district or U.S. state leans toward the Democratic or Republican Party, compared to the nation as a whole, based ...

rating of R+12, it is the most Republican district in California and the second-most Republican district in a West Coast state, behind only Washington's 4th district. Following the

2020 United States redistricting cycle The 2020 United States redistricting cycle is in progress following the completion of the 2020 United States census. In all fifty states, various bodies are re-drawing state legislative districts. States that are apportioned more than one se ...

, the district is anchored in

San Bernardino County San Bernardino County (), officially the County of San Bernardino, is a county located in the southern portion of the U.S. state of California, and is located within the Inland Empire area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the population was 2,181, ...

, and also includes parts of

Kern KERN (1180 AM broadcasting, AM) is a commercial radio, commercial radio station city of license, licensed to Wasco, California, Wasco-Greenacres, California, and serving the Bakersfield metropolitan area. The station is owned by American General ...

and

counties. It is mostly within the

. Cities in the new 23rd district include

Victorville Victorville is a city in Victor Valley in San Bernardino County, California. Its population as of the 2020 census was 134,810. History In 1858, Aaron G. Lane came to what is now known as Victorville and founded a waystation called "Lane's Cro ...

, Hesperia,

Adelanto Adelanto (Spanish for "Advance") is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. It is approximately northwest of Victorville in the Victor Valley area of the Mojave Desert, in the northern region of the Inland Empire.Lint ...

, Apple Valley, Barstow, Twentynine Palms, Big Bear Lake,

California City California City is a city located in northern Antelope Valley in Kern County, California, United States. It is north of the city of Los Angeles, and the population was 14,973 at the 2020 census. Covering , California City has the third-largest ...

, Loma Linda, Yucaipa, southern Redlands, and small portions of

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally speaking, upland (or uplands) refers to ranges of hills, typically from up to while highland (or highlands) is ...

and

San Bernardino San Bernardino (; Spanish for "Saint Bernardino") is a city and county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States. Located in the Inland Empire region of Southern California, the city had a population of 222,101 in the 2020 cen ...

. The representative-elect is

Former characteristics

From 2003 to 2013 the district ran along the

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

coasts of Ventura, Santa Barbara, and

San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly hal ...

counties. Major cities in the district included Santa Barbara,

, Ventura, and

Oxnard Oxnard () is a city in Ventura County, California, United States. On California's South Coast, it is the most populous city in Ventura County and the 22nd-most-populous city in California. Incorporated in 1903, Oxnard lies approximately west ...

.https://statewidedatabase.org/pub/data/MAPS/district/2001/cd23.pdf Before redistricting by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission in 2011, California's 23rd congressional district was one of the narrowest districts in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, stretching along the Pacific coast from Oxnard to the

Monterey County Monterey County ( ), officially the County of Monterey, is a county located on the Pacific coast in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, its population was 439,035. The county's largest city and county seat is Salinas. Montere ...

line. It was often referred to as "the district that disappears at high tide" or the "ribbon of shame". This area is now divided between the 24th and 26th districts, while the current 23rd covers much of the territory that was previously in the 22nd district.

Election results from statewide races

Composition

As of the 2020 redistricting, California's 23rd congressional district is located in the region of the state covering the Mohave Desert. It encompasses the majority of

, and parts of

and

Counties. San Bernardino County is split between this district, the 25th district, the 28th district, the 33rd district, and the 40th district. The 23rd, 28th and 33rd are partitioned by San Bernardino National Forest, Manzanita Rd, Highway 15, Cajon Blvd, W Kenwood Ave, Highway 215, W Meyers Rd, Ohio Ave, Pine Ave, Bailey act, Highway 206, Devils Canyon Rd, Cloudland Truck Trail, Cloudland Cutoff, Hill Dr, W 54th St, E Hill Dr, Bonita Vista Dr, Sterling Ave, Argyle Ave, E Marshall Blvd, Rockford Ave, Lynwood Dr, La Praix St, Orchid Dr, Denair Ave, Highland Ave, Orchard Rd, Arroyo Vista Dr, Church St, Greensport Rd, Florida St, Garnet St, Nice Ave, Crafton Ave, 5th Ave, Walnut St, 6th Ave, S Wabash Ave, E Citrus Ave, N Church St, Southern California Regional Rail A, Tennessee St, Highway 10, California St, E Washington St, and S Barton Rd. The 23rd and 25th are partitioned by Power Line Rd, Telephone Pole Line Rd, Cadiz Rd, Arizona & California Rail, San Bernardino National Forest, East Mojave Heritage Trail, Sunflower Springs Spur, Sunflower Springs Rd, Needles Freeway, Mountain Springs Rd, Goffs Rd, and Walter Rd. The 23rd district takes in the cities of

, Barstow, Twentynine Palms,

, Yucaipa, Loma Linda, and Apple Valley, as well as the town of

Yucca Valley Yucca Valley is an incorporated town in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 20,700 as of the 2010 census. Yucca Valley lies west of Twentynine Palms, north of Palm Springs, south of Barstow via State Route ...

. Kern County is split between this district and the 20th district. They are partitioned by the Mojave-Barstow Highway, Treescape Rd, Oak Creek Rd, Anajanette Ave, 70th St W, Highway 58, Homer Hansen Private Rd, Aerospace Highway, Redrock Randsburgs Rd, Garlock Rd, Iron Canyon, and Union Pacific. The 23rd district takes in the city of

. Los Angeles County is split between this district, the 27th district, and the 28th district. They are partitioned by Angeles National Forest, Linda Mesa Rd, San Gabriel Mountains, Fort Tejon Rd, 121st St E, 123rd St E, 126th St E, Highway N6, Highway 138, 136th St E, Longview Rd, E Avenue S, 140th St E, E Avenue H, 120th St E. The 23rd district takes in the census-designated place Lake Los Angeles.

Cities & CDP with 10,000 or more people

- 134,810 * Apple Valley - 75,791 * Yucaipa - 53,921 *

- 38,046 * Twentynine Palms - 26,073 * Barstow - 25,415 * Loma Linda - 24,791 *

- 21,777 *

- 14,973 * Lake Los Angeles - 11,926

List of members representing the district

Election results

1942

1944

1946

1948

1950

1952

1954

1956

1958

1960

1962

1963 (Special)

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2008

2010

2012

2014

2016

2018

2020

References

External links

GovTrack.us: California's 23rd congressional districtCalifornia Voter Foundation map - CD23
{{Coord, 34.5, -120.45, region:US-CA_type:adm2nd_dim:300km, display=title 23 Government of Kern County, California Government of Los Angeles County, California Government of San Bernardino County, California Mojave Desert Constituencies established in 1943 1943 establishments in California