House Editor David Wasserman writes: During the past decade, just one out of 265 elections for House in California produced a partisan turnover of a seat. An ultra-safe map helped generate above-average numbers of chairmanships and leadership posts in the delegation, even accounting for California's huge size. But what members saw as seniority, voters saw as entrenchment, and this year's citizen commission-drawn maps have already brought about seven retirements. With the filing deadline now passed, there are 238 candidates competing for 53 seats, including four new seats, five open seats, and two featuring two incumbents.
Less than two months to go before the state's June 5 primary, California's new top-two primary law is adding as much uncertainty to races as the new maps. There are many districts, including the race to replace retiring Democratic Rep. Lynn Woolsey in the new 2nd CD stretching from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, where two Democrats will advance to a face off on the November ballot. There are also a handful of districts, like the open and reliably Republican 1st and
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