As ICE rips through California during the election, progressive upstart Randy Villegas is trying to topple Republican Rep. David Valadao. The post In California’s Central Valley, ICE Might Swing a Red District Blue appeared first on The Intercept.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt talks to Yolanda Gonzalez Vitkoff, left, and Vivian Escalante, right, during a campaign event on in Los Angeles on May 31, 2026.(Jill Connelly / AP Photo) It happens in close races in almost every major election. Early California returns show Republicans winning or at least…

Don’t be fooled by early election returns. It can take California weeks to tally votes, leading to “red mirages” and “blue shifts.”