LONG BEACH, Calif. — After California lost a Congressional seat for the first time in its history, the state’s redistricting commission created the new 42nd Congressional District, thus setting off a competitive political race.
There are eight candidates on the ballot: one Republican, one declared for the Green Party, and the rest are Democrats.
The district divides the two ports of the San Pedro Bay Port Complex, so the new 42nd District includes only the Port of Long Beach, not the Port of Los Angeles. Because of how the lines were drawn, few issues impact and unite all voters in this area quite like the ports.
Living next door to the Port of Long Beach has its benefits when your mission is to help and house sailors. Retired Navy veteran Capt. Dick Mckenna runs the International Seafarer's Center. As cargo records keep shattering, he refuses to be drowned out by the hustle and bustle.
“Anybody who is going to be a good representative in Congress has to be mindful of the port and to a lesser extent ourselves, but we are part of the fabric of the port,” Mckenna said.
The center is near the edge of the new 42nd Congressional District, which includes Huntington Park and winds down through Downey and Bellflower, ending in Long Beach, the hometown of Mayor Robert Garcia.
“I’m really proud of the progress the ports have made. I mean, the truth is that 20 years ago, 30 years ago, the ports were massive polluters. We still have a lot of work to do,” the mayor said.
He promises to continue this cleanup as part of his campaign for the new House seat.
“A lot of folks don’t realize that when you think about pollution, 90% of the pollution is really from the ships. It’s from the maritime industry. It’s not from trucking. It’s not from terminals. The only way to regulate that is at the federal level,” Robert Garcia said.
California Assemblywoman Cristina Garcia is running against him.
“We have some of the most polluted communities in the state, in the nation, here in this district,” she said.
Most trucks leave the ports on the 710, passing by the homes of many of her current constituents.
“We can’t just focus on the port. You can’t just focus on the coast. You have to focus on the whole goods movement,"Cristina Garcia said. "That includes what’s happening at the rail yard, that includes what’s happening along the freeways and that includes what’s happening at the port, but as long as we’re only focusing on the port then we’re going to keep failing."
All the political noise won’t keep Mckenna from raising his own voice.
“As the representative is elected, we certainly are going to invite that person here because it’s important that they are aware of us,” Mckenna said.