George Papadopoulos is the former campaign aide to President Donald Trump. He was also the key figure in the FBI’s Russia probe. He also pleaded guilty in 2017 as part of the special counsel’s investigation into Russia election interference after admitting he lied to the FBI. Because of that, he was sentenced to 14 days in prison. The judge who sentenced him said that Papadopoulos placed “self-interest over the national interest” when he lied to the FBI in an attempt to keep open the possibility of a job within the Trump administration.
Papadopoulos, technically, is also a former felon.
That aside, he made an announcement – which was widely expected, on Fox & Friends that he is running for the California Congressional District seat vacated by Democrat Katie Hill. Papadopoulos filed paperwork after Hill announced her resignation once news surfaced of an inappropriate relationship she had with a staff member, which led to an ethics probe.
The Congressional District seat he is seeking election for is the 25th Congressional District and covers a part of Los Angeles County that has historically been held by Republicans since 1993 until Hill’s victory in 2018.
This district was created January 3, 1953 and the voters from that district have historically voted Republican. Of the nine elected representatives since its creation four have been Democrats. However, that covers nearly 57 years and a Democrat has only held office for 25 of those years, with 18 of them (nine congressional terms) being held by one man from 1975 to 1993 – Edward R. Roybal.
The District, while more competitive for Democrats, could still be a toss-up – even for someone with Papadopoulos’s reputation. In 2008 49.45% of residents voted for former President Barack Obama. In 2012 that flipped with 49.7% of residents voting for Senator Mitt Romney over President Obama. And it flipped again during the 2016 Presidential election with 50.3% of voters backing Hillary Clinton over President Donald Trump.
Papadopoulos, for his part, says he will adopt a Pro-Trump campaign message.
