Some big news in the upcoming special election to fill Katie Hill’s (D. CA-25) vacant seat. Councilwoman Christy Smith (D. CA-25) just picked up the Los Angeles Times endorsement:

There’s no question which candidate is better prepared to step into the debate and help shape smart policy. That’s state Assemblywoman Christy Smith, a quietly accomplished and centrist Democrat whose background includes stints as a U.S. Department of Education policy analyst and as a longtime member of the Newhall School District board. Her experience guiding a school district through the last economic downturn and now the state through its pandemic response makes her uniquely qualified for precisely this job at precisely this moment.

Smith’s opponent, by comparison, is simply not a good fit for Congress at any moment. We can see why Republicans might be attracted to Mike Garcia. The former Navy pilot and Raytheon executive has an unusual resume and a nice backstory as the son of a Mexican immigrant. But having a good origin story doesn’t translate into legislative competence.

And Garcia offers no record to examine for clues. He has never been elected or appointed to office, and his platform consists of vague statements of values. We don’t know what his real policy goals are. But the fact that he’s Trump loyalist who describes himself as more conservative than most Republicans should give every voter in this district pause. Congress needs unity right now, not more partisan extremism.

This is a great endorsement because Garcia and Republicans have been running a disgusting ad against Smith that’s completely misleading about the coronavirus:

The National Republican Congressional Committee rolled out an ad this week that:

• Targets Smith as a “Sacramento politician,” a familiar tone;
• Calls her out over purported education cuts while she was a Newhall School Board member;
• And criticizes her support of AB 5, a controversial law governing business use of independent contractors that has garnered new scrutiny amid the outbreak, as many claim the bill that was intended to help “gig” workers has instead made life tougher.

But national Democrats are taking this race seriously:

The coronavirus outbreak has forced political candidates to rethink the way they campaign, but Democrats are returning to a familiar strategy: focus on healthcare.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is spending nearly $1 million to air an ad highlighting Republican defense contractor Mike Garcia’s opposition to the Affordable Care Act ahead of a May 12 runoff to fill the remainder of former Rep. Katie Hill’s first term.

The buy — which includes cable, Spanish-language TV and digital spending — is the largest ad investment the DCCC has made in California’s 25th Congressional District this cycle. The spot began airing Saturday and will run until May 12.

Let’s keep this seat blue. Click here to donate and get involved with Smith’s campaign.