TL;DR
Defense contracts have surged in Los Angeles County, creating political tension even in the bluest districts: local Democrats criticize military spending while benefiting from it.
Over the past decade, defense contracts in Los Angeles County more than doubled, while the overall U.S. defense budget rose only about 19%. Last year, companies here won $15 billion in contracts, and startups got a slice—building low-cost missiles, drones, and surveillance satellites.
In 2025, ten startups in the LA area became 'unicorns,' most in aerospace or defense. Venture capital and government orders collide here, building billion-dollar firms like Anduril.
The arms business in Democratic districts
The contradiction: the districts that benefit most are the bluest. California's 36th, for instance, where Rep. Ted Lieu won nearly 70% of the vote, saw defense contracts rise by $3.3 billion in a decade.
In the 43rd, Maxine Waters once proposed abolishing the Space Force, yet Trump's plan to double its budget would boost her district, where defense spending grew fivefold.
The left begins to waver
Democrats have generally supported defense increases, especially when money flows home. But a record $1.5 trillion budget, potentially exceeding WWII peaks, while cutting healthcare, is giving some pause.
Critics fear a space arms race, but local mayors say it's just continuing Southern California's aviation heritage. Money and jobs arrive—who cares about politics?
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