Ex-Rep. Steve Knight joins packed race to fill Katie Hill's seat in Congress
Tom KiskenFormer U.S. Rep. Steve Knight has officially jumped into the race to reclaim the seat he lost a year ago to Democrat Katie Hill.
Knight, a Palmdale Republican who served two terms representing the 25th Congressional District, expressed interest in running for the seat hours after Hill announced in late October she was resigning.
The former L.A. police officer affirmed his candidacy over the weekend, and in a phone interview Monday, cited exploratory research conducted after Hill's announcement.
"Our polling showed pretty much what we thought it would," he said, declining to reveal the results. "Jumping into a race late, you should get some information before squeezing the trigger."
Knight was defeated by Hill by nearly 9 percentage points, flipping Democrats a district that had been held by Republicans since the 1990s. The district stretches from Santa Clarita to Lancaster to Simi Valley.
More:Rep. Steve Knight, challenger Katie Hill spar over special interest money in Simi debate
Hill resigned after allegations of inappropriate relationships with a campaign staffer and a congressional aide. She denied the latter allegation but acknowledged the relationship with the campaign worker. The claims surfaced, along with nude photos of Hill, on a conservative blog.
Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected this week to announce the date of a special election that will be held to fill the seat until end of Hill's term in January 2021. The vacancy has brought a packed field of new candidates and people who announced months ago their campaigns to challenge Hill who planned to run for re-election.
Steve Knight emphasizes experience
On Monday, Knight focused on the importance of filling the term vacated by Hill with someone who has experience in Congress.
"You are going to need someone in that seat who can hit the ground running," he said.
Republican candidates include former Navy fighter pilot Mike Garcia, Lancaster City Councilwoman Angela Underwood Jacobs and Brenda Edmunds, of Valencia.
George Papadopoulos, former campaign aide to Donald Trump, also filed as a Republican candidate after Hill said she would resign. Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI in the probe by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
California Assemblywoman Christy Smith, D-Santa Clarita, announced her candidacy the day after Hill said she would step down. Other Democratic candidates include David Rudnick, of Lancaster, and Christopher Smith, of Los Angeles.
Another Republican, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Sgt. Mark Cripe, said Saturday he was dropping out of the race. He pointed at worries of a crowded Republican field splitting the vote, also citing fundraising challenges.
Knight's candidacy drew attention from others including Garcia who said in a tweet he was disappointed in the move.
"As my supporters know, we have been fighting this battle to earn back the seat while the left has floundered," he tweeted. "Some ran from the fight; I ran to it."
More:California Rep. Katie Hill gives final speech in Congress
California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, a Democrat, ended speculation about a possible bid for the 25th District in late October by announcing he won't run.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com or 805-437-0255. USA TODAY contributed to this report.