The Votes Are In!
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View Winners → Politics Nov 14, 2024
Derek Tran, left, and Rep. Michelle Steel. | Photos courtesy of Derek Tran for Congress and Michelle Steel/X
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Rep. Michelle Steel’s lead shrank to 349 votes Thursday over Democrat Derek Tran in the state’s closest race for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to the latest election results from the California Secretary of State’s office.
Six days ago Steel, R-Cypress, held what looked like a comfortable 7,590-vote lead in the 45th Congressional District race.
On Saturday Steel’s lead decreased to 6,901 votes, then to 6,128 votes Sunday when only ballots from the Los Angeles County section of the district were counted. On Monday her lead continued to decline at 3,908 votes after Monday’s vote counting and 2,227 on Tuesday, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
The latest total tally is 151,395-151,046, or 50.1%-49.9% of the vote in favor of Steel. She leads in Orange County — 136,855-132,378, or 50.8%-49.2% — but trails in Los Angeles County by a margin of 18,668-14,540, or 56.2%-43.8%.
Neither House hopeful has spoken publicly about the race since Election Day.
In the 49th Congressional District in Orange and San Diego counties, Republican challenger Matt Gunderson conceded the race Wednesday to now fourth-term Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point.
Levin was ahead 181,691-167,492 votes, or 52%-48%, according to the latest election results.
The Associated Press, ABC and NBC projected Levin as the winner on Tuesday after the latest vote totals were released.
Gunderson, an automobile dealership owner, issued a statement Wednesday morning in which he thanked supporters, congratulated Levin and added:
“This campaign was never about politics, partisanship, or personal agendas. It was about a commitment to serving the people of our community and fighting for a better, more sustainable future for the next generation,” Gunderson said. “The rising costs of living, taxes, and inflation are taking opportunities away from our children and from Californians who want to thrive in this great state, and I am concerned about the impacts of unchecked government decisions on their future.
“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,” Gunderson said.
“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,” he 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,” Levin said. “We must come together to deliver for all American families. Let’s get to work.”
Democrat Will Rollins conceded to Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, Wednesday after the the now 17-term House member’s lead increased to 8,123 votes in the 41st District. Calvert’s lead was 161,202-153,079, or 51.3%-48.7% of the vote.
Decision Desk HQ, an independent tracker of election results, declared Calvert as the winner Monday evening.
“I’m going to be honest, losing sucks, especially after campaigning back to back for nearly three years, but I will never regret running,” Rollins said in a video posted Wednesday on social media.
Calvert defeated Rollins 52.3%-47.7% in the 2022 race to represent the Riverside County district.
“Way too many of us sit on the couch and complain about politics or the way campaigns are run, without ever getting off the sidelines and actually stepping into the arena ourselves,” Rollins said. “And I get it, that was me until I was 37 years old. That’s why I am so proud to have been in the fight with you, the people who supported this campaign, because win or lose, you know that the work is never really done in America.”
Calvert issued a statement Monday saying, “I’m honored that Riverside County voters have once again placed their trust in me to continue delivering results for them in Washington.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, congratulated Calvert on social media Wednesday. The National Republican Congressional Committee, which is House Republicans’ election entity, also congratulated Calvert, saying in a statement that he “will continue delivering proven results for families in Riverside County, from working to lower inflation to keeping their neighborhoods safe and secure.”
In the U.S. Senate, Republicans won a 53-47 majority, according to the AP. Republicans gained four Senate seats and Democrats lost four.
House Republicans on Thursday attained the 218 seats needed for a majority. Democrats have 208 seats.
