Why Democrats think Applegate could unseat Issa

Douglas Applegate knew he might get an earful when he started knocking on doors in this solidly Republican town, once home to Richard Nixon’s Western White House.

“You’re a Democrat? You’re in the wrong place,” snapped one woman, holding her dog at bay before she sent Applegate on his way.

That may have been true for generations in the coastal enclaves of California’s 49th Congressional District, but this once-impenetrable GOP stronghold is now in play. Applegate, a retired Marine colonel and Iraq war veteran, has Republican stalwart Rep. Darrell Issa sweating his bid for reelection.

Issa had trounced his opponents in eight straight elections, winning by an average margin of almost 30 percentage points. In the June primary, Issa finished ahead of Applegate, who is new to politics, by a mere 5.3 percentage points.