Gay Dem Robert Garcia could represent Huntington Beach after Pride flag ban

In a twist of political irony, a conservative California city that voted to ban Pride flags on government buildings could soon be represented in Congress by an openly gay lawmaker.

Huntington Beach — known for declaring itself a “non-sanctuary city” — has been pulled into a newly redrawn congressional district that includes Long Beach, the political base of Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The change comes after California voters approved Prop 50, a plan to redraw congressional maps in an effort to counter Republican-led redistricting efforts in Texas.

It was just two years ago when Huntington Beach residents approved a charter amendment that restricted what flags could be flown on city property. Many critics said the measure was aimed at preventing Pride flags from being displayed at government buildings.

The proposal passed with about 58% of the vote, according to the Orange County Registrar. However, turnout was relatively low, with only about 23% of registered voters casting ballots.

Under the rule, the city is only allowed to display a limited number of flags. These include the U.S. flag, the California state flag, the Orange County flag, the Huntington Beach city flag, and certain military or Olympic flags.

According to the updated district map, Garcia’s 42nd congressional district still covers Long Beach, but now stretches south into Orange County. The district drops several Southeast Los Angeles County communities — including Downey and Bell Gardens — and instead adds the coastal cities of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.

The two cities have been conservative strongholds in Orange County with significant, registered Republican majorities, bringing in more right leaning voters into the district, creating a unique political mix between liberal Long Beach and Orange County.

Paul Mitchell, a redistricting specialist who helped design the new boundaries for Democrats, acknowledged the contrast created by the map.

“I say that every time a district crosses the L.A.–Orange County border, a Democrat gets its wings,” Mitchell told the Times. He noted that extending the Long Beach-based seat down into Huntington Beach means Garcia will now represent a city whose conservative City Council has often clashed with the values of the openly gay congressman.

Despite the district becoming slightly more conservative, Democrats still believe Garcia has a strong chance of winning reelection. Past election results show the area still leans Democratic overall, even with the addition of new Republican voters.

The redistricting shake-up is also creating ripple effects in other congressional races across California.

Veteran Republican Rep. Darrell Issa recently announced he will not seek reelection after the new map placed him in a more Democratic-leaning district. Meanwhile, Northern California Rep. Kevin Kiley has announced he will run as an independent rather than a Republican after his district was broken up during the redrawing process.

Another newly drawn district that spans parts of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties is also expected to pit two Republican incumbents against each other in a competitive race.

For Huntington Beach, however, the new map could lead to a surprising outcome — a conservative city that once voted to restrict Pride flags may soon be represented in Washington by a gay man.

Garcia, the first gay immigrant elected to Congress, has been serving since 2023 and was previously married to California State University, Long Beach professor Matthew Mendez.

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