Democrats running in six California battleground districts that could determine the balance of power in Washington are joining their Republican rivals in supporting tough-on-crime voting measures that voters will decide on in November’s election. We are keeping pace.

This unity illustrates the political vulnerability that Democratic candidates may face over crime issues, especially in close races. Recent polls show widespread voter support for Proposition 36, a proposal that would impose harsher penalties for crimes involving retail theft and fentanyl.

At stake are six California seats that are neither far-left nor far-right: Orange County, the Inland Empire, the Antelope Valley and the San Joaquin Valley. They are among a small number of races across the United States that both parties consider critical to determining control of Congress.

Democratic candidates have the perilous task of addressing voters’ concerns about drug addiction, organized retail theft and homelessness without alienating their liberal and center-left base.

“Republican opponents will be happy if the Democratic candidate opposes Prop. 36, because it will be very easy to give the impression that the Democratic candidate is soft on crime,” said Republican, conservative and independent candidates. Jared Sichel, strategist for Based in Orange County. “If you’re a Democrat who opposes Proposition 36, you’re going to be hurt in November.”

Sichel said most of these swing races are in the suburbs of large cities, covering large swaths of Orange County and the Central Valley, where there is a “healthy mix of Republicans and Democrats” who “don’t want anarchy.” suggested that it was being done.

“Most residents of other California counties would like to see law enforcement and government attitudes toward crime more similar to Orange County than to San Francisco or Los Angeles,” he said.

whole, Property crime is on the decline In California. These crimes decreased in 46 counties and increased in six of the 15 largest counties, including Orange County, where the increase was only 1% in 2023. Alameda County saw the largest increase at 28%. In 2023, 6,850 people died This is due to the ingestion of the deadly drug fentanyl, an extremely powerful opioid that has plagued the state at an alarming rate since 2019.

The debate over Prop. 36 has divided California Democrats, with Gov. Gavin Newsom and leading Democratic state lawmakers strongly opposed to the November ballot measure, and Democratic mayors of San Diego, San Francisco and San Jose also supporting it. Named in the sect.

Proposition 36 replaces Proposition 47, which voters overwhelmingly passed in 2014 on a promise to ease California’s overcrowded prisons by reclassifying some nonviolent crimes from felonies to misdemeanors. The purpose is to reorganize some parts. Additionally, those who commit certain drug offenses will be required to undergo drug treatment as an option, rather than being sentenced to prison. Opponents call the measure expensive, saying the tools already available to law enforcement and prosecutors leave little funding for the drug treatment component, and as a result, most people are left out of treatment. He claims that he will likely choose to serve time in prison. Supporters say it would usher California into an era of group treatment and crackdowns on repeat offenders.

Democrat Adam Gray is running against incumbent Republican Rep. John Duarte in California’s Central Valley’s 13th Congressional District, where issues surrounding agriculture and public safety are major concerns. , has expressed support for Proposition 36. Mr. Gray is running in a corner that is attracting attention. Democrats lost the district to Mr. Duarte in 2022, despite having a significant advantage in voter registration.

Gray told the Times he believed the measure would “restore accountability to repeat offenders” and give law enforcement the tools to enforce it.

Another hotly contested race in the Inland Empire’s 41st Congressional District pits Democratic candidate Will Rollins against Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in California’s House of Representatives. This is his second time running for office.

Rollins, a former federal prosecutor, told the Times that he supports Prop. 36, but that Congress needs more members to support federal law enforcement at the southern border to stem the flow of fentanyl. insisted.

A Public Policy Institute poll released in late September found that 71% of likely California voters said they would vote in favor of Proposition 36.

Support is even stronger in San Diego and Orange counties, where 74% of voters say they would vote in favor of the measure. The same survey found that 44% of registered voters in California’s 10 most competitive congressional districts said the outcome of Proposition 36 was “very important.”

In the San Joaquin Valley, part of the Central Valley, 82% voters A poll by the University of California, Berkeley’s Institute of Government, co-sponsored by the Times, found support for Prop. 36.

“Congressional candidates cannot avoid talking about Prop. 36,” Mark Baldassare said. main pollster From PPIC. “That’s what people are most interested in.”

Democratic consultant Michael Wagaman said it’s not surprising that candidates would respond to voters’ concerns about drug and property crimes. While Republicans, including former President Donald Trump, who is seeking a return to the White House, have harshly criticized Democrats on crime issues this election, voters are increasingly concerned about the products displayed on locked shelves in drug stores and grocery stores. You can feel the impact when you see it.

“Voters are clearly concerned about things like razor blades trapped behind plexiglass and fentanyl found in school bags,” Wagaman said. “So it’s not surprising that the people running for office are aware of those concerns and are responding to them.”

In California’s 47th Congressional District, which includes Irvine, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Laguna Beach and Huntington Beach, state Sen. Dave Minn (D-Irvine) and Republican Scott Baugh are vying for the open seat. The seat is vacant after Rep. Katie Porter ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.

Bo criticized Min’s record on public security issues. He mocked Min at X.[supporting] Reduce penalties for theft and leave smashes and grabs rampant in malls. ” In recent months, conservative political action committees have spent $7.5 million opposing Min. About $4.4 million was spent opposing Mr. Baugh.

Nevertheless, Minn has set himself apart from his Democratic colleagues in Sacramento by supporting Proposition 36, and has campaigned as a moderate Democrat on public safety issues.

In other major districts:

• Derek Tran, who is running against Republican U.S. Rep. Michelle Steele in California’s 45th Congressional District in northern Orange County, said that as a co-owner of a small business that was broken into “several times” last year, he was “prop. 36.” common sense reforms like this.”
• Democratic Rep. Rudy Salas, who is running against Republican incumbent Rep. David Valadao in the 22nd Congressional District, and Rep. George Whiteside, who is running against incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia in the 27th Congressional District, also support the bill.
• Democrat and former fire chief Joe Carr seizes his chance. running against Young Kim of California’s 40th Congressional District Orange County, where Republicans still have a 3.7 percentage point advantage in voter registration, also chose to support the bill.

“This means that if candidates are in the same position; [on some issues] “This allows voters to focus on other issues where there are clear policy differences,” Wagaman said. “You have a limited amount of time to campaign and capture the attention of voters.”

Times staff writer Hannah Fry contributed to this article.