Tim Myers, former OneRepublic bassist and Grammy-nominated artist announced Thursday he will challenge Rep. Ken Calvert to represent California's 41st Congressional District. His campaign would be the latest effort by Democrats to oust the long-time Republican lawmaker while also engaging young voters to turn out in the polls.
Myers announced his candidacy in a video posted on his social media. The district he is seeking to represent consists of Riverside County, which stretches from the L.A. suburbs to the resort haven of Palm Springs.
"The people in charge are screwing us over just to make a buck," Myers said in the video. "Trump, Musk and these clowns in Washington are cutting cancer research, veterans healthcare, and getting into trade wars— making everything we buy more expensive— all while giving billionaires another tax cut they don't need. And where's my hometown congressman? Ken Calvert has been in Washington for 30 years and all he's done is make himself millions."
Myers was around eight years old when Calvert was first elected in 1992. He spent five years in the early 2000s playing bass in OneRepublic before launching his solo career with Revolution, a politic-driven EP packed with anti-war songs.
"I'm a pastor's son who grew up learning how to stretch a dollar in Corona, California. I turned a love of music into a career," he said. "With some luck and a lot of hard work, I made it big, but it wasn't always easy. Got signed, got dropped, started over. I saw how the industry took advantage of people, so I built a business that puts artists first. It reminds me a lot of what we're seeing now."
Democrats have long considered Calvert's a vulnerable Republican seat in the House. In the 2024 election cycle he beat Democrat Will Rollins 51% to 48%. Now, as Democrats try to regain control of the House, the party will seek to invest more time and resources into this district.
Myers, a prolific producer, songwriter and solo artist, is positioning himself as a change agent in a race against one of the most senior members of the House. His ActBlue campaign site includes a summary of his overall mission plan, which includes ensuring "that everyday people have a voice in Washington again."
It also notes: "Flipping this seat could be the key to taking back the House and ending Trump's unchecked power." Calvert has represented four different districts in the past three decades and has been consistently succeeded by a Democrat, including Joe Baca in the 43rd District, Janice Hahn in the 44th, and Robert Garcia in the 42nd.
Calvert has also made headlines recently after facing frustrated voters at a recent town hall who protested his support for the Trump administration's policies. He is one of the several Republicans who have faced backlash, including Reps. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Stephanie Bice (R-Okla.) and more.
Myers could also serve as a tool to engage younger voters at a time when Democrats in their 20s and 30s are seeking representation who resemble their experiences and ideologies. So far, the 2026 midterm elections are set to face major primary challenges from young Democrats to more veteran ones.
Among them is Saikat Chakrabarti, a 39-year-old former chief of staff for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is seeking to unseat Rep. Nancy Pelosi in California. Others include Kat Abughazaleh, challenging Illinois Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky; Jake Rakov, 37, challenging his old boss, Rep. Brad Sherman from California; and George Hornedo, 34, seeking to unseat nine-term Rep. Andre Carson in Indiana's 7th District.
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