Whitesides Doubles Rep. Garcia’s Q1 Fundraising Haul, Reports $1.3 Million Cash-On-Hand Advantage

In key “Toss-Up” district, Whitesides maintains largest cash advantage over an incumbent nationwide with over $3 million on hand

AGUA DULCE, CA – Former NASA Chief of Staff and aerospace businessman George Whitesides left March with a $1.3 million cash-on-hand advantage over Rep. Mike Garcia, marking the largest cash advantage of any candidate challenging an incumbent nationwide. Whitesides left the first quarter with over $3 million on hand, while Garcia had $1.7 million.

Whitesides’ commanding fundraising lead – doubling what Garcia brought in this quarter – comes on the heels of his top-two victory in the March 5 primary, making Whitesides the Democratic nominee for California’s 27th congressional district.

Whitesides raised over $1.34 million in the first quarter of 2024, bringing his total raised to over $4.3 million for the election cycle. Meanwhile, Garcia raised only $674,000 in the same period, and has only raised $3.7 million for the cycle.

Garcia is widely seen as one of the most vulnerable Republican incumbents in the nation, given that President Biden carried CA-27 by 12.4%. In 2020 – when Garcia’s district was drawn to contain more Republicans – Garcia narrowly won by only 333 votes. Every non-partisan rater of congressional campaigns ranks the Whitesides-Garcia contest as a “Toss-Up.”

“Voters in this district deserve better than Rep. Mike Garcia. We deserve a representative who is going to solve problems and deliver for this district instead of benefiting himself, and that’s why I’m running,” said George Whitesides. “I couldn’t be more grateful for this strong show of support, and I’m proud of the grassroots support we are building from the Antelope Valley to Santa Clarita to the San Fernando Valley,” Whitesides said.