Rep. Michelle Steele (R-Calif.) has conceded defeat in her bid to represent California's 45th Congressional District against Democrat Derek Tran.
Mr. Steele's race is one of two that have not yet been called by Decision Desk headquarters, which is affiliated with The Hill, but Mr. Tran was declared the winner on Monday. Mr. Tran's clear victory would be a flip for Democrats, leaving Republicans with only a few seats in the House majority.
Mr. Tran currently leads Mr. Steele by just over 600 votes out of more than 315,000 votes cast.
“My journey working with legal immigrants and struggling families has taken me to places I never could have imagined, and I will always be grateful: the United States Congress,” Steele said. said. said in a statement Wednesday. Posted on social platform X. “Everything is God's will, and like all journeys, this one comes to an end and a new one begins.”
She thanked her supporters, staff and family and vowed to “never stop fighting” for them.
Tran said in his statement As the son of Vietnamese refugees, he said he understands the “journey and sacrifice” that many in his district have made.
“From the need for affordable health care and housing to the importance of an economy that is inclusive of all, people here are looking to the future with hope and determination,” he said. “I look forward to expressing that optimism and working tirelessly to ensure the voices of our communities are heard in Washington.”
With the 45th District race resolved, California's only 13th District race between Republican Rep. John Duarte and Democrat Adam Gray remains uncalled.
Mr. Gray, a former state representative, has a narrow lead over Mr. Duarte, a major reversal for Democrats, but the race remains close as votes are still being counted three weeks after Election Day. It continues. Mr. Gray, who received 99.4 percent of the vote, led Mr. Duarte by 182 votes, or 0.1 percentage point.
The race in the district, which includes the San Joaquin Valley, has been volatile since Election Day, with both candidates exchanging leads.
The race in California's 13th Congressional District is one of the most-watched races this season, with Democrats in the lead after President Biden won the district by a 10.9 percentage point margin in 2020. They want Mr. Duarte to be ousted. The Cook Political Report rated this year's election campaign as “the worst.” ”
The outcome of the race in California's 13th District will determine how small the Republican House majority will be. So far, Republicans are expected to win 220 seats in the House, but with California's two elections uncontested, Democrats are expected to win at least 213 seats. But the Republican lead is expected to narrow early next year as some members leave the House to serve in President-elect Trump's Cabinet.
Rep. Mike Walz (R-Florida) will resign on January 20 to become national security adviser, and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-New York) will be nominated by President Trump to be U.S. ambassador. As a result, he is expected to leave the House of Representatives early next year. The United Nations and former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) said he would not take the oath in the 119th Congress after being nominated as attorney general, and later withdrew his resignation. Name from consideration.
Mr. Tran's victory means that Mr. Gray maintains a narrow lead in California's 13th Congressional District and is declared the winner, and the three seats held by Mr. Walz, Mr. Stefanik and Mr. Gaetz remain vacant at the same time. If it stays the same, Republicans will have a 217 House majority. This means they cannot lose members on partisan votes. A tie vote in the House will be rejected.
