In the battle for control of the U.S. House, Democrats are hoping that celebrity power will help unseat a long-serving Republican representative in Southern California as they aim to regain control of the chamber and counter President Donald Trump’s agenda.
Tim Myers, a Grammy-nominated musician and former bassist for the popular band OneRepublic, announced on Thursday that he would challenge Rep. Ken Calvert in California’s 41st District, which covers areas from the suburbs of Los Angeles to the Palm Springs resort region.
“Ken Calvert has been in Washington for 30 years,” Myers says in a campaign video. “The status quo isn’t working.”
Christian Martinez, a spokesperson for the House Republicans’ campaign arm, criticized Myers, calling him “everything wrong with today’s radical left: a Hollywood liberal trying to fake his way into Riverside County.”
Though Myers grew up in the district’s city of Corona, he now lives in neighboring Los Angeles County.
As competitive House races become increasingly rare across the nation, Democrats view Calvert’s district as one of their best chances to flip a seat in the House, where Republicans hold a narrow 220-213 majority.
With Republicans controlling both Congress and the White House, and Democrats facing challenges in taking the Senate in 2026, this California race holds extra significance. A Democratic victory could provide a much-needed counterbalance to the Trump administration, especially on issues like immigration and the environment.
Myers, a successful producer, songwriter, and solo artist, is positioning himself as a fresh alternative to one of the House’s longest-serving members. At 40, Myers was in second grade when Calvert first won election in 1992.
In the video filmed in a recording studio, Myers reflects on his upbringing as the son of a pastor in Corona, which lies on the western edge of the district. He describes his journey through the competitive music business, which ultimately led him to start his own record label. He now resides in Hidden Hills, a wealthy area in Los Angeles County popular among musicians and celebrities.
Myers has been vocal in his opposition to Trump’s policies, criticizing them for hurting veterans and raising consumer prices. “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.”
While Republicans hold a slight advantage in voter registration in the district, Calvert has successfully fended off tough challenges in recent elections. In 2024, he won by a narrow 3-point margin, the same year Trump carried the district by 6 points over Democrat Kamala Harris, the former U.S. senator and attorney general from California.
House Democrats have targeted Calvert for 2026, as they did in 2024. Calvert’s campaign raised over $1.3 million in the first quarter of 2025.
California, a stronghold for Democrats, sees the party dominate state offices, the legislature, and the congressional delegation, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans by a 2-1 ratio. However, Republicans still retain influence in certain areas, including the Southern California suburbs and rural regions like the Central Valley.
Despite a challenging year for Democrats in 2024, the party successfully flipped three GOP-held House seats in California.