In the race for California’s Congressional District 41 seat, incumbent Republican Ken Calvert has claimed his victory and his Democratic opponent Will Rollins conceded two days later.

The two competed in 2022 and the results similar, although Rollins came closer in the percentage of votes received; but Calvert’s margin of victory increased. In 2022, Calvert won with 52.35% of the vote. He had 4.7% more of the votes and an edge of 11,100 votes over Rollins.

This year, the number of registered voters in the district increased by 5.2% but the number of ballots cast was nearly 50% greater than in 2022. Rollins’ total came within 3.4% of Calvert’s voters, but the margin increased to 11,924 as of Saturday evening, Nov. 30.

After the close election two years ago, Rollins was optimistic about his chance of winning both in the Spring and last month. He felt his initial campaign voters were only beginning to know him and his views.

“When I left my job, there were only six months to introduce myself to the electorate. This time I started in May 2023 and many more people know who I am,” he declared.

He also opined that the greater turnout for the Presidential Election will favor him despite about 5,100 more registered Republicans in the District than Democrats,

“The turnout for Democrats and Republicans will be about equal, but we’ll continue to win independents and moderates,” he asserted in an October interview with the Town Crier. But the greater turnout this year, 75.6%, did not change the ultimate result.

As Thanksgiving passes, it is Calvert, beginning his 17^(th) Congressional term in January, who is happy. He is proud that he exceeded his previous victory margin.

From Spring through the election, Calvert campaigned on the importance of the economy in this election. When asked why the Democrats did not focus on this issue, he replied, “That’s a good question! It didn’t take a rocket scientist to walk around our communities and ask. Low- and moderate-income people were concerned about the cost of gas, insurance rate skyrocketing, and food. There was a general malaise about the economy and it was clearly the issue.”

He felt that Rollins tried to make Calvert the issue, but “The people chose between me and the economy. He misinterpreted the issue and I was not a good issue.”

Rollins was not the only Democratic legislative candidate to assume higher turnout would favor them over their Republican opponents. Calvert opined that the Country and Riverside County are more center to moderate right beliefs. Although much of California is on the left. This misperception, he felt, was noticeable in the Hispanic communities in the District.

“People of moderate income and low often focus more on pocketbook issues,” he added.

Another campaign issue, that Calvert expressed concern about was its cost. Informally, he estimated that the combination of direct contributions and independent political committee expenditures totaled nearly $23 million for Rollins and $17 million for him.

“Forty million dollars for one race, I understand that was the third most expensive race in the U.S.,” he said sadly.

Further, from July to October, the number of registered Republican voters in the district increased by 6,000. Calvert confirmed that was not luck.

“[Our campaign] had a major effort to register voters, particularly independents to Republican,” Calvert said. “A lot of people, particularly those who register through the Department of Motor Vehicles don’t know which party they’re registered in. So, we were basically flipping them to Republican.”

As he prepares for the next Congress, Calvert, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, said his first priority is to try to get the fiscal year 2025 Appropriations bills enacted. His preference is for 13 individual bills, but he recognizes that there is discussion of passing one or two large continuing resolutions. Next, in early 2025, he will focus on the FY 2026 appropriations process.

Calvert expects the Ways and Means Committee to begin work on a tax bill to continue the Trump tax cuts approved in 2017.

While Gov. Gavin Newsom is concerned about President-elect Trump’s attitude toward California and his willingness to provide funding for state projects, Calvert intends to protect funds with fighting wildfires.

“Reduction in that area is not happening. I make sure it doesn’t happen, not going to happen,” he emphasized and stressed.

As he finished the interview, Calvert sighed and said, I feel like a drive to Idyllwild to get away from everybody for a while.” Since he spent several years of his youth here, residents may see the Congressman walking the sidewalks.