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Rep. Mike Garcia, left, and George Whitesides are vying for the 27th District's seat in the House. | Photos courtesy of Representative Mike Garcia/Facebook and George Whitesides/X
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Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, conceded the 27th Congressional District race in the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys to Democrat George Whitesides on Monday.
Whitesides gained 2,253 more votes in the latest count of previously unprocessed ballots, padding his lead over Garcia by 6,983. Totals posted Monday afternoon were 147,567-140,584 in favor of Whitesides, or 51.21%-48.79% of the vote, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
Whitesides, a former NASA chief of staff, led by 4,730 votes when Sunday’s count concluded and 2,114 votes following Saturday’s tally. He initially trailed Garcia by 973 votes on Friday, 3,240 on Thursday and 4,767 after vote counting on Nov. 6 ceased.
“I spoke with George Whitesides this evening to congratulate him, and I will ensure a smooth handoff of open constituent case work packages to him and his team,” Garcia said in a statement.
“Representing the people of California’s 27th Congressional District the last 4.5 years has been an honor of a lifetime. I want to thank my family for making the sacrifices, and my team and my volunteers for working harder than any other team in the nation during this journey of providence,” Garcia said. “We achieved so much in a short period of time. We truly made history and saved lives. I’m proud of all we’ve done.”
Whitesides issued a statement following Garcia’s concession:
“It’s the honor of a lifetime to be elected to serve our district in Congress and deliver for Santa Clarita, the Antelope Valley, and the San Fernando Valley.
“Rep. Garcia called me earlier to concede the race and I thanked him for his years of service to our district and to the nation.
“In Congress, you can count on me to fight to create more good local jobs, lower everyday costs, build safe communities, protect Social Security and Medicare and protect reproductive freedom,” Whitesides said.
Republican Scott Baugh conceded Tuesday evening to state Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine, in Orange County’s 47th Congressional District after Min’s lead rose to 5,732 votes.
“It has become clear that despite running a strong campaign, connecting with voters, and mobilizing an incredible volunteer effort — that effort is going to come up a little short,” the former assemblyman said in a statement following Min’s lead reaching 50.9%-49.1%, or 164,372-158,460 total votes
“I am grateful to an outstanding campaign team and the most dedicated supporters any candidate could ask for,” Baugh said. I’m appreciative of the voters that supported me and even those that did not, and most of all I am grateful for my wife, Wendy and my son, Jackson.”
“I know many of us are anxious about the future of our country, but we cannot give up on America,” Min said in a statement Tuesday evening. “In Congress, I will fight to protect our democracy, safeguard our freedoms and expand economic opportunity.”
Min added 501 votes Monday to his lead and was ahead with 154,907 votes compared with Baugh’s 151,693, or 50.5%-49.5%,
Min had led by 2,713 votes Saturday and 1,078 Friday after he trailed by 616 votes Thursday and 1,133 votes following vote counting on Nov. 6.
Min and Baugh are vying for the House seat vacated by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by the late Dianne Feinstein. U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, handily won the Senate seat in Tuesday’s election over Republican Steve Garvey, a former infielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
Rep. Michelle Steel was ahead by 2,227 votes Wednesday in the state’s closest congressional race.
Democrat Derek Tran continues to cut into her lead in the 45th Congressional District. He trailed by 7,590 entering Saturday’s count in the primarily Orange County district that also includes Hawaiian Gardens and Artesia in LA County. On Sunday Tran trailed by 6,901 votes, 6,128 entering Monday and 3,908 entering Tuesday, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Steel, R-Cypress, leads 147,100-144,828 total votes, or 50.4%-49.6%.
Only ballots in the LA County section of the congressional district were processed Sunday.
Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, claimed victory Monday in Riverside County’s 41st District. The latest count gave Calvert a 7,548-vote lead over Democrat Will Rollins, pushing the latest tally to 153,106-145,558, or 51.3%-48.7%.
Rollins’ campaign manager Coby Eiss said in a statement to City News Service the race was “too close to call,” adding that “there could be at least 80,000 votes to be counted.”
In the 49th District, Republican challenger Matt Gunderson conceded defeat Wednesday to now four-term Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point.
In a district stretching from Del Mar to Laguna Niguel and including parts of Orange and San Diego counties, Levin was ahead 181,691-167,492 votes, or 52%-48%.
The Associated Press, ABC and NBC all projected Levin as the winner on Tuesday.
Gunderson, a car dealership owner, issued a statement Wednesday morning:
“I challenge Congressman Levin to set aside his partisan blinders and remember that the people of this district deserve leaders who are candid and transparent, who will fight for them, protect their opportunities, and help create an affordable California where they can prosper. I challenge Congressman Levin to stick to his word and be a true bipartisan leader in Washington that walks the same walk and talk at home that he does in DC. Californians deserve advocates, not politicians.”
Levin issued a statement late Tuesday.
“Among the top reasons for this win is my record of passing 30 bipartisan laws and bringing back more than $1 billion in funding for projects that are improving our quality of life,” Levin said. “I stand by my record and look forward to building on that progress.
“We still have work to do to lower costs, secure our borders, protect Social Security and Medicare, remove the nuclear waste at San Onofre, put more sand on our beaches, and much more. I am committed to working with my colleagues from both parties on commonsense bipartisan solutions to our pressing challenges. We must come together to deliver for all American families. Let’s get to work.”
In the Senate, Republicans won a 53-47 majority, according to the Associated Press on Wednesday morning. Republicans gained four Senate seats and Democrats lost four.
In the House, Republicans had 216 seats to Democrats’ 207. The number needed for a majority is 218.
It was unclear how many ballots remain to be counted in the congressional races.
Updated Nov. 13, 2024, 11:54 a.m.
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