When I moved to Orange County in 1987 to write editorials for the Orange County Register, all county supervisors and U.S. representatives were Republicans. Now three of five supervisors are Democrats.

And with the passage of Proposition 50 Tuesday, after the 2026 election the new, gerrymandered congressional districts could reduce the GOP House delegation from the current two of six seats to one of eight. The new maps split cities and look like a Rorschach test designed by someone on LSD.

“The Yes campaign was brilliant and bold,” former Republican state Sen. John Moorlach told me. “It was a shrewd political move by Newsom and his Democratic consultants.”

Orange County Republican Party Chairman Will O’Neill said he’s optimistic Republicans not only will keep Rep. Young Kim’s 40 th D

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