By Eddie Cota

Ballots are still being counted from Tuesday's June 2 primary election for California's 41st Congressional District, but early results have produced a striking headline: Republican Mitch Clemmons is leading longtime Democratic incumbent Linda Sánchez.

With 65 percent of votes reported, Clemmons holds 39.6 percent of the vote — 43,408 votes — compared to Sánchez's 36.4 percent, or 39,885 votes. Two other Democrats also appeared on the ballot: Hector De La Torre with 13.3 percent and Shonique Williams with 10.7 percent. Total votes reported so far stand at 109,536. Results are from the Associated Press, last updated June 4, 2026 at 7:14 p.m.

What Happens Next

Both Clemmons and Sánchez are advancing to the November 3, 2026 general election. Under California's top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes advance regardless of party, setting up a direct Republican-versus-Democrat matchup this fall.

The vote totals may still shift as counting continues. Most California voters cast their ballots by mail, and ballots postmarked on or before Election Day have up to one week to arrive. In the 2024 primary, roughly half of all results were reported by the morning after election day, and it took 10 days before 95 percent of ballots were tallied.

The Candidates

Sánchez, a Democrat who has represented the Whittier area in Congress since 2003, is one of the longest-serving members of California's congressional delegation. Clemmons, a Whittier-based plumbing contractor, is a first-time congressional candidate.

A Brand New District

The 41st District itself is brand new — and its geography helps explain the early results. California voters approved Proposition 50 in November 2025, which redrew the state's congressional maps. The old 41st District covered the Inland Empire and Coachella Valley in Riverside County. The new one is an entirely different district in a different part of Southern California, covering southeastern Los Angeles County and a portion of northern Orange County.

Notably, the district represents all of Whittier — including the city of Whittier itself as well as the unincorporated communities of South Whittier and East Whittier. Other Los Angeles County communities in the district include Bellflower, Bell Gardens, Downey, La Mirada, Santa Fe Springs, and portions of Lakewood (about 74%), Norwalk (about 47%), and Pico Rivera (about 39%).

The district also extends into Orange County, covering all of La Habra, nearly all of Los Alamitos (about 92%), all of Rossmoor, about 65% of Brea, roughly 24% of Seal Beach, and a small portion of Fullerton (about 12%).

(Source: California Senate Office of Demographics)

What to Watch

The November ballot will look very different from Tuesday's primary. Two other Democrats — De La Torre and Williams — combined for roughly 24 percent of the vote. In a general election with only two candidates on the ballot, much of that Democratic support is likely to consolidate behind Sánchez, which could significantly close the gap.

At the same time, the district's Orange County cities have historically leaned Republican, and their presence in the new 41st could make this a more competitive race than many expected. With only 65 percent of ballots counted, the final margins remain to be seen — and the general election is still five months away.

Whittier Informed will continue to monitor results as additional ballots are counted.