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California GOP Rocked as 30-Year Republican Incumbent Faces Pop Star Challenger
San Diego Post ^ | April 17, 2025 | Jacob Shelton

Posted on 04/17/2025 12:50:16 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Grammy-nominated musician and former OneRepublic bassist Tim Myers is making the leap from the stage to the political arena with a high-profile challenge to long-serving Republican Rep. Ken Calvert in California’s 41st Congressional District. Myers, a Corona native turned music industry entrepreneur, announced his candidacy Thursday in a video posted on Instagram, setting the stage for one of the most closely watched House races in the 2026 election cycle.

“Ken Calvert has been in Washington for 30 years, and all he’s done is make himself millions,” Myers says in the campaign video, filmed in a recording studio. “The status quo isn’t working.”

The 41st District, which stretches from the Los Angeles suburbs to Palm Springs, is among the few remaining battlegrounds in an increasingly polarized national map. With Republicans clinging to a narrow 220-213 House majority, Democrats see Calvert’s seat as a prime opportunity to regain ground and counter President Donald Trump’s policy agenda in a potential second term.

Myers, 40, grew up in Corona and recounts in his video a modest upbringing as a pastor’s son. After a successful five-year stint with pop rock band OneRepublic, he went on to build a thriving solo career, launch his own label (Palladium Records), and write or produce songs for artists like Kesha, Aloe Blacc, and Hailee Steinfeld. Now based in Hidden Hills, Los Angeles County, Myers is branding himself as a reform-minded outsider ready to shake up Washington.

“Our community is being priced out of homeownership, groceries are more expensive every week, and we’re constantly under threat from wildfires and rising crime,” Myers said in a statement. “It’s time for a change.”

But Republicans are already pushing back hard. “Democrat Tim Myers is everything wrong with today’s radical left: a Hollywood liberal trying to fake his way into Riverside County,” said Christian Martinez, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee.

Despite the state’s deep blue lean — where Democrats dominate the legislature and hold a 2-to-1 registration advantage — the 41st remains competitive. Calvert, the longest-serving Republican in California’s congressional delegation, narrowly held onto his seat in 2024, winning by just three points as Trump carried the district by six.

With Democrats eyeing a path to reclaim the House, the party’s campaign arm has once again named Calvert a top target. He raised over $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2025, signaling a fierce and high-stakes battle ahead.

For Myers, it’s a debut tour of a different kind — this time, in the halls of Congress.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: 41stdistrict; aloeblacc; california; christianmartinez; corona; gop; haileesteinfeld; hiddenhills; hollywood; instagram; jacobshelton; kencalvert; kesha; losangeles; onerepublic; palladiumrecords; palmsprings; republican; riversidecounty; sandiegopost; timmyers

1 posted on 04/17/2025 12:50:16 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

Ok. Don’t know which would be stronger. I support whichever that is. If it’s close, the “cured” ballots will tilt the race to the dem three weeks after the election, so go with the stronger


2 posted on 04/17/2025 12:52:28 PM PDT by j.havenfarm (24 years on Free Republic, 12/10/24! More than 10,500 replies and still not shutting up!)
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To: nickcarraway

OK - yet another SoCal leftist rock-n-roll Hollywood tw@t is going to fix California’s self-imposed problems??

Isn’t that the definition of insanity?


3 posted on 04/17/2025 12:57:25 PM PDT by PGR88
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To: nickcarraway

FIRST THING Republican Rep. Ken Calvert needs to do, after being a likely typical republicant weenis loser weakling, is to MAKE SURE HE CAN STOP THE FRAUD


4 posted on 04/17/2025 12:57:59 PM PDT by Captainpaintball (America needs a Conservative DICTATOR if it hopes to survive. )
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To: Captainpaintball

Lefties go for the flash. Symbolism over substance. Works at times.


5 posted on 04/17/2025 1:02:41 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
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To: Captainpaintball

So ... somebody who wins 15 races in a row, including winning multiple races in the era of ballot harvesting ... is a loser?

Guess the Boston Celtics were gigantic losers when they won 10 titles in a row! Who knew?

Maybe you can fill in for Stephen A. Smith after he becomes the Dem. nominee!


6 posted on 04/17/2025 4:57:36 PM PDT by Old West Conservative
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