California’s 47th Congressional District is represented by Democrat Dave Min, who took office on January 3, 2025 after winning the November 2024 general election by about three percentage points.1LegiStorm. Taking the Oath of Office – Rep. Dave Min Official Press Release The district sits entirely within Orange County, covers a mix of coastal and inland communities, and is one of the most closely divided House seats in the country.
Which Cities Are in the District
CA-47 runs along the Pacific shoreline and reaches inland through central Orange County. It includes Irvine, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, and Seal Beach in full, along with portions of Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, and Laguna Woods. UC Irvine, the city’s biotech and medical device corridor, and the beach communities to the west all fall inside the same lines.
The district’s population is roughly 756,000, with a median household income near $128,000. The population is about 50% White, 25% Asian, and 17% Hispanic.2Data USA. Congressional District 47, CA Education levels run well above state and national averages.
Who Dave Min Is
Before Congress, Min served in the California State Senate representing the 37th District from 2020 to 2024. Earlier, he was a law professor at UC Irvine’s School of Law from 2012 to 2020. His state Senate work included legislation on offshore drilling bans, zero-emission autonomous vehicles, and land and water conservation.
In the House, Min sits on three committees: Natural Resources, Oversight and Government Reform, and the Joint Economic Committee.3Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. Member Profile – Dave Min His subcommittee seats are Energy and Mineral Resources; Water, Wildlife and Fisheries; and Economic Growth, Energy Policy, and Regulatory Affairs.
How the District Votes
Registration in CA-47 is nearly even. As of February 2025, Republicans hold a slim edge at 35.1%, Democrats sit at 34.4%, and voters registered with No Party Preference account for 24.1%.4California Secretary of State. Report of Registration by US Congressional District Even with that Republican registration advantage, the district has elected Democrats in both House races held under its current boundaries, and Joe Biden carried the area by roughly 11 points when 2020 presidential results are mapped onto the new lines.
The Cook Political Report rates the district D+3 in its Partisan Voting Index and classifies it as “Lean D.”5Cook Political Report. California CA-47 House The large independent bloc has tilted toward Democrats in recent federal elections.
The current map was drawn by the California Citizens Redistricting Commission after the 2020 census. The previous 47th had reached into Los Angeles County; the redrawn version is confined to Orange County’s coastal and central cities.
Recent results show how tight the seat is. In 2022, Democrat Katie Porter won the first race under the new lines, defeating Republican Scott Baugh with about 51.7% of the vote. When Porter left to run for U.S. Senate in 2024, Min won the open seat over the same opponent, Baugh, 51.4% to 48.6%, a margin of roughly 10,200 votes.
What’s Next on the Ballot
Min has confirmed he will seek reelection in 2026 and reported raising more than $750,000 in the first quarter of 2025. At least one Democratic primary challenger, 27-year-old attorney Hunter Garcia Miranda, has announced a bid.
California uses a top-two primary system, meaning every candidate appears on a single ballot regardless of party and only the top two vote-getters advance to November.6California Secretary of State. Primary Elections in California The next primary is scheduled for June 2, 2026, with the candidate filing period running February 9 through March 6, 2026. If the incumbent does not file by that deadline, an extension period runs through March 11.7California Secretary of State. Key Dates and Deadlines
Both the 2022 and 2024 general elections were decided by roughly three points, and the district is expected to attract heavy national party spending again in 2026.