Three Southern California Congressional races see Democratic candidates ahead in close competition
SANTA ANA, Calif.—Tight races for Congress are headed to the finish line in the November election in Southern California.
On Saturday, the California Secretary of State delivered an update for Orange County’s 45th Congressional District, with Dave Min (D-Irvine) leading against Republican Scott Baugh in the 47th District. Min is slightly ahead with 50.5 percent of the vote to Baugh’s 49.5 percent.
The 49th Congressional District, which includes parts of San Diego and Orange counties, featured a race between Rep. Mike Levin (D-Dana Point) and Republican Matt Gunderson. Levin is leading at 51.7 percent of the vote, while Gunderson took 48.3 percent.
And Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Santa Clarita) lost his lead in northern Los Angeles County’s 27th Congressional District race to Democrat George Whitesides, a former NASA chief of staff.
Results indicate Whitesides now holds a 50.4 percent to 49.6 percent lead.
“It is essential that every vote cast by the people of our district is thoroughly and accurately counted,” Garcia said in a statement after the previous ballot count update. “While we await the final results, variations in daily vote totals are to be expected as the process continues.
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“I am confident that when all votes are in, our message of economic security, safe neighborhoods and protecting critical programs like Social Security and Medicare will have resonated with CA-27 families.”
After Friday’s new totals, Whitesides wrote on social media that he won “over 57% of new votes counted” with “thousands more to come.”
Meanwhile, incumbent Republican Rep. Michelle Steel is still ahead of Democrat challenger Derek Tran in the 45th Congressional District. Steel is winning 51.3 percent to 48.7 percent.
The L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk estimated the number of outstanding ballots to be processed at 526,000. Of those, were 420,000 vote-by-mail ballots; 94,000 conditional voter registration ballots; and 12,000 provisional ballots.
The Orange County Registrar of Voters announced all votes are fully tallied.
As of Friday, Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona) was holding his lead over Democrat Will Rollins in his bid for a 17th term representing Riverside County’s 41st Congressional District, 51.4 percent to 48.6 percent.
