California's 23rd congressional district

Infobox U.S. congressional district
state = California
district number = 23

---

representative = Lois Capps
party = Democratic
english area = 2,479
metric area =
percent urban = 98.0
percent rural = 2.0
population = 639,088
population year = 2000
median income = 44,784
percent white = 48.7
percent black = 1.9
percent asian = 4.9
percent native american = 0.5
percent hispanic = 41.7
percent other race = 0.1
percent blue collar =
percent white collar =
percent gray collar =
cpvi = D+9

California's 23rd congressional district covers parts of Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. The current Representative for this district is Democrat Lois Capps.

Voting

The district is moderately to heavily (in some places) Democratic with Capps winning the last election (2006) with 65% of the vote. John Kerry received 58% of the vote in this district in 2004; George W. Bush received 40%. [ [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2004_general/ssov/pres_general_ssov_congressional.pdf Statement of Vote (2004 President)] ] The district voted for Arnold Schwarzenegger 54-41% in 2006, [ [http://sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2006_general/ssov/gov_by_cd.pdf Statement of Vote (2006 Governor)] ] Dianne Feinstein 62-32% in 2006, [ [http://sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2006_general/ssov/us_sen_by_cd.pdf Statement of Vote (2006 Senate)] ] Barbara Boxer 60-35% in 2004, [d [http://sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2004_general/ssov/us_senate_ssov_congressional.pdf Statement of Vote (2004 Senate)] ] recalling Gray Davis 53-47% [ [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2003_special/ssov/recall_ques_cd.pdf Statement of Vote (2003 Recall Question)] ] and Schwarzenegger 42-35% [ [http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2003_special/ssov/gov_cd.pdf Statement of Vote (2003 Governor)] ] in 2003, and Davis 48-41% in 2002. [ [http://sos.ca.gov/elections/sov/2002_general/ssov/gov_cong.pdf Statement of Vote (2002 Governor)] ]

Proportionally, it is one of the narrowest districts in the United States and is barely noticeable on most maps. Its largest town is the heavily industrial Oxnard. The lines of this district are controversial and are a result of California's bi-partisan incumbent gerrymandering. The district lines are used both as an outrageous example of gerrymandering, since the district favors a Democrat and is over convert|200|mi|km long, and paradoxically as an outstanding example of the preservation of the common interests of voters. If the district was distributed among the adjacent inland districts there would be less effective representation of coastal interests, particularly with regards to fisheries, tourism, development, and offshore oil drilling.

However, to preserve Republican numbers representing California in the House of Representatives, the state Republican party has fought to avoid having any part of this district combined with the less-populous parts of either Ventura or Santa Barbara counties, as this would erode Republican majorities.

Voting

1942

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Edouard Izac (incumbent)
votes = 42,864
percentage = 50.5Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = James B. Abbey
votes = 42,087
percentage = 49.5Election box total no change
votes = 84,951
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1944

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Edouard Izac (incumbent)
votes = 86,707
percentage = 55.1Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = James B. Abbey
votes = 70,787
percentage = 44.9Election box total no change
votes = 157,494
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1946

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Charles K. Fletcher
votes = 69,411
percentage = 56.3Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Edouard Izac (incumbent)
votes = 53,898
percentage = 43.7Election box total no change
votes = 123,309
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box gain with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)
loser = Democratic Party (United States)

1948

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Clinton D. McKinnon
votes = 112,534
percentage = 55.8Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Charles K. Fletcher (inc.)
votes = 87,138
percentage = 43.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Progressive Party (United States, 1948)
candidate = Harry C. Steinmetz
votes = 2,017
percentage = 1.0Election box total no change
votes = 201,689
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box gain with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)
loser = Republican Party (United States)

1950

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Clinton D. McKinnon (inc.)
votes = 94,137
percentage = 51Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Leslie E. Gehres
votes = 90,398
percentage = 49Election box total no change
votes = 184,535
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1952

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Clyde Doyle (incumbent)
votes = 138,356
percentage = 87.5Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Progressive Party (United States, 1948)
candidate = Olive T. Thompson
votes = 17,501
percentage = 11.1Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = C. Cleveland (write-in)
votes = 2,329
percentage = 1.4Election box total no change
votes = 158,186
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1954

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Clyde Doyle (incumbent)
votes = 90,729
percentage = 70.9Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Frank G. Bussing
votes = 34,911
percentage = 27.3Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Progressive Party (United States, 1948)
candidate = Olive T. Thompson
votes = 2,293
percentage = 1.8Election box total no change
votes = 127,933
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1956

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Clyde Doyle (incumbent)
votes = 120,109
percentage = 70.9Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = E. Elgie "Cal" Calvin
votes = 49,198
percentage = 29.1Election box total no change
votes = 169,207
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1958

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Clyde Doyle (incumbent)
votes = 140,817
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1960

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Clyde Doyle (incumbent)
votes = 148,415
percentage = 74.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Emmett A. Schwartz
votes = 51,548
percentage = 25.8Election box total no change
votes = 199,963
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1962

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Clyde Doyle (incumbent)
votes = 83,269
percentage = 64.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Emmett A. Schwartz
votes = 46,488
percentage = 35.8Election box total no change
votes = 129,757
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1963 (Special)

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Del M. Clawson
votes =
percentage = 53.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Carley V. Porter
votes =
percentage = 35.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Maurice H. Quigley
votes =
percentage = 4.7Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Armand R. Porter
votes =
percentage = 2.7Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = James Earle Christo
votes =
percentage = 1.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Lynn W. Johnston
votes =
percentage = 1.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Harold R. "Hal" Bennett
votes =
percentage = 0.6Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Harry L. Butler
votes =
percentage = 0.6Election box total no change
votes =
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box gain with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)
loser = Democratic Party (United States)

1964

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Del M. Clawson (incumbent)
votes = 90,721
percentage = 55.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = H. O. Van Pettin
votes = 72,903
percentage = 44.6Election box total no change
votes = 163,624
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

1966

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Del M. Clawson (incumbent)
votes = 93,320
percentage = 67.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Ed O'Connor
votes = 45,141
percentage = 32.6Election box total no change
votes = 138,461
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

1968

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Del M. Clawson (incumbent)
votes = 95,628
percentage = 64.9Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Jim Sperrazzo
votes = 51,606
percentage = 35.1Election box total no change
votes = 147,234
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

1970

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Del M. Clawson (incumbent)
votes = 77,346
percentage = 63.3Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = G. L. "Jerry" Chapman
votes = 44,767
percentage = 36.7Election box total no change
votes = 122,113
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

1972

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Del M. Clawson (incumbent)
votes = 118,731
percentage = 61.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Conrad G. Tuohey
votes = 74,561
percentage = 38.6Election box total no change
votes = 193,292
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

1974

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Thomas M. Rees (incumbent)
votes = 119,239
percentage = 71.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Jack E. Roberts
votes = 47,615
percentage = 28.6Election box total no change
votes = 166,854
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1976

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anthony C. Beilenson
votes = 130,619
percentage = 60.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Thomas F. Bartman
votes = 86,434
percentage = 39.8Election box total no change
votes = 217,053
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1978

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anthony C. Beilenson (inc.)
votes = 117,498
percentage = 65.6Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Joseph Barbara
votes = 61,496
percentage = 34.4Election box total no change
votes = 178,994
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1980

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anthony C. Beilenson (inc.)
votes = 126,020
percentage = 63.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Robert "Bob" Winckler
votes = 62,742
percentage = 31.5Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Jeffrey P. Lieb
votes = 10,623
percentage = 5.3Election box total no change
votes = 199,385
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1982

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anthony C. Beilenson (inc.)
votes = 120,788
percentage = 59.6Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Daid Armor
votes = 82,031
percentage = 40.4Election box total no change
votes = 202,819
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1984

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anthony C. Beilenson (inc.)
votes = 140,461
percentage = 61.6Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Claude W. Parrish
votes = 84,093
percentage = 36.9Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Larry Leathers
votes = 3,580
percentage = 1.6Election box total no change
votes = 228,134
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1986

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anthony C. Beilenson (inc.)
votes = 121,468
percentage = 65.7Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = George Woolverton
votes = 58,746
percentage = 31.8Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
candidate = Tom Hopke
votes = 2,521
percentage = 1.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Taylor Rhodes
votes = 2,019
percentage = 1.1Election box total no change
votes = 184,754
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1988

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anthony C. Beilenson (inc.)
votes = 147,858
percentage = 63.5Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Jim Salomon
votes = 77,184
percentage = 33.1Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = John R. Vernon
votes = 4,503
percentage = 1.9Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
candidate = John Honigsfeld
votes = 3,316
percentage = 1.4Election box candidate no party in partisan race no change
candidate = Write-ins
votes = 18
percentage = 0.0Election box total no change
votes = 232,879
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1990

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anthony C. Beilenson (inc.)
votes = 103,141
percentage = 61.7Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Jim Salomon
votes = 57,118
percentage = 34.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Peace and Freedom Party (United States)
candidate = John Honigsfeld
votes = 6,834
percentage = 4.1Election box total no change
votes = 167,093
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

1992

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Elton Gallegly (incumbent)
votes = 115,504
percentage = 54.3Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Anita Perez Ferguson
votes = 88,225
percentage = 41.4Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Jay C. Wood
votes = 9,091
percentage = 4.3Election box candidate no party in partisan race no change
candidate = Dunbar (write-in)
votes = 61
percentage = 0.0Election box total no change
votes = 212,881
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

1994

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Elton Gallegly (incumbent)
votes = 114,043
percentage = 66.17Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Kevin Ready
votes = 47,345
percentage = 27.47Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Bill Brown
votes = 6,481
percentage = 3.76Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Green Party (United States)
candidate = Robert T. Marston
votes = 4,457
percentage = 2.59Election box candidate no party in partisan race no change
candidate = Nagode (write-in)
votes = 14
percentage = 0.01Election box total no change
votes = 172,340
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

1996

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Elton Gallegly (incumbent)
votes = 118,880
percentage = 59.6Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Robert Unruhe
votes = 70,035
percentage = 35.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Gail Lightfoot
votes = 8,346
percentage = 4.1Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Natural Law Party (United States)
candidate = Stephen Hospodar
votes = 2,246
percentage = 1.1Election box total no change
votes = 199,507
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

1998

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Elton Gallegly (incumbent)
votes = 96,362
percentage = 60.06Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Daniel "Dan" Gonzalez
votes = 64,068
percentage = 39.94Election box total no change
votes = 160,430
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

2000

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Elton Gallegly (incumbent)
votes = 119,479
percentage = 54.1Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Michael Case
votes = 89,918
percentage = 40.7Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Reform Party (United States)
candidate = Cary Savitch
votes = 6,473
percentage = 3.0Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Roger Peebles
votes = 3,708
percentage = 1.6Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Natural Law Party (United States)
candidate = Stephen P. Hospodar
votes = 1,456
percentage = 0.6Election box total no change
votes = 221,034
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Republican Party (United States)

2002

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Lois Capps (incumbent)
votes = 95,752
percentage = 59.1Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Beth Rogers
votes = 62,604
percentage = 38.6Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = James E. Hill
votes = 3,866
percentage = 2.3Election box total no change
votes = 162,222
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage =Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

2004

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Lois Capps (incumbent)
votes = 153,980
percentage = 63.1Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Don Regan
votes = 83,926
percentage = 34.3Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Libertarian Party (United States)
candidate = Michael Favorite
votes = 6,391
percentage = 2.6Election box total no change
votes = 244,297
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage = Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

2006

Election box winning candidate with party link no change
party = Democratic Party (United States)
candidate = Lois Capps (incumbent)
votes = 114,661
percentage = 65.2Election box candidate with party link no change
party = Republican Party (United States)
candidate = Victor G. Tognazzini
votes = 61,272
percentage = 34.8Election box candidate no party in partisan race no change
candidate = H.A. Gardner, Jr. (write-in)
votes = 18
percentage = 0.0Election box total no change
votes = 175,951
percentage = 100.0Election box turnout no change
percentage =Election box hold with party link without swing
winner = Democratic Party (United States)

References

External links

*GovTrack.us: [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/findyourreps.xpd?state=CA&district=23 California's 23rd congressional district]
* [http://ca.rand.org/stats/politics/sov/elect.defs.html RAND California Election Returns: District Definitions]
* [http://www.calvoter.org/voter/maps/congress/CD23.pdf California Voter Foundation map - CD23]