The third time will not be the charm for Will Rollins. A Democrat who ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, in 2022 and 2024, Rollins announced this week he would not challenge the Inland Empire’s longest-serving congressmember in 2026. “My name won’t be on the ballot, but I have no doubt the momentum from our last two campaigns will carry into 2026,” Rollins said via email. Washington D.C.’s priorities “are still completely disconnected from the Inland Empire,” Rollins added. “A massive trade war that will hit the middle class the hardest and maybe even cause a recession? Cutting taxes for Elon (Musk)? Firing veterans in the Pentagon?” A former federal prosecutor, Rollins faced off against Calvert in California’s 41st Congressional District, which represents cities in the Coachella Valley along with Calimesa, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Norco, Wildomar and parts of Corona, Eastvale and Riverside. Political redistricting created the 41st in 2021.The ensuing round of musical chairs put Calvert, who first came to Capitol Hill during the Clinton administration and previously represented safe red districts, in a district with a near-even voter registration split between the GOP and Democrats. Rollins, 40, sought to take advantage of that by running as a middle-of-the-road candidate and reaching out to GOP voters with a message focused on border security and public safety. He also attacked Calvert as out-of-touch and more interested in enriching himself than helping the 41st. Calvert responded by portraying Rollins as a left-wing extremist in moderate clothing who would do the bidding of liberal Democratic leaders. Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, center, has not lost reelection since arriving in Congress in the mid-1990s. (File photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) After losing to Calvert, 52% to 48%, in 2022, Rollins ran again two years later. This time, he had the interest and backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and other groups, who saw the 41st as a prime pickup opportunity and a key battlefront in the fight to control a House of Representatives with a razor-thin GOP majority. Calvert and Rollins raised millions of dollars and inundated mailboxes, social media and TV and radio airwaves with advertising at costly Los Angeles media market rates. At one point, the 41st became the seventh most-expensive House race in the nation. Despite out-fundraising Calvert, Rollins came up 3.4 percentage points short of his opponent in last year’s election. Related Articles Can Inland Empire Democrats bounce back from a disheartening 2024? Xavier Becerra launches campaign for California governor California caps city council campaign contributions at $5,500 but some cities say that’s too high Will California Democrats defer to former VP Kamala Harris if she runs for governor? Ballot measure to require voter ID in California eyed for 2026 “I’m going to be honest: losing sucks,” Rollins said at the time. “Especially after campaigning back-to-back for nearly three years. But I will never regret running.” It remains to be seen how many candidates jump into the 2026 race for the 41st. So far, at least one Democrat — Brandon Riker of the Coachella Valley — has announced plans to run against Calvert next year. Riverside County Democratic Party Chair Joy Silver believes the backlash against President Donald Trump’s policies will be an asset to Democrats in their fight against Calvert. “Some voted to give this Republican agenda a chance, some didn’t vote at all, and now they are ready to stand up and fight for their lives,” she said via email. ...read more read less