Republican Rep. Mike Garcia Monday conceded to Democrat George Whitesides in the 27th Congressional District race in the Santa Clarita Valley and Antelope Valley.
Whitesides added 2,253 votes to his lead in Monday’s count of previously unprocessed ballots to take a 6,983-vote lead, 147,567-140,584,51.21%-48.79%, according to figures released by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk.
The former NASA chief of staff led by 4,730 votes following Sunday’s count and 2,114 votes following Saturday’s after trailing by 973 votes after Friday’s count, 3,240 after Thursday’s and 4,767 after Wednesday’s.
“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, R-Santa Clarita, 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. 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 called it “the honor of a lifetime to serve you in Congress.”
“Rep. Garcia called me earlier to concede race and I thanked him for his years of service to our district and to the nation,” Whitesides said in a statement. “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.”
Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, claimed victory in Riverside County’s 41st Congressional District, after the latest count gave him a 7,548-vote lead over Democrat Will Rollins, 153,106-145,558, 51.3%-48.7%.
However, Coby Eiss, Rollins’ campaign manager, called the race “to close to call” saying in a statement “there could be at least 80,000 votes to be counted.”
Entering Monday’s resumption of the ballot count, Calvert led by 7,880 votes in his bid for a 17th term, 143,621-135,741, 51.4%-48.6%.
In the 45th Congressional District, Rep. Michelle Steel had her lead over Democrat Derek Tran drop to 3,908 votes, 143,184-139,276, 50.7-49.3%. The Seal Beach Republican led by 6,128 votes after Sunday’s count, 6,901 after Saturday’s count and 7,590 after Friday’s in the mainly Orange County district that also includes Hawaiian Gardens and Artesia in Los Angeles County.
No previously unprocessed ballots in the Orange County portion of the district were counted Sunday.
In the 47th Congressional District, wholly in Orange County, Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine, added 501 votes to his lead over Republican Scott Baugh Monday and is 3,214 votes ahead, 154,907-151,693, 50.5%-49.5%.
Min had led by 2,713 1 votes after Saturday’s count and 1,078 in Friday’s count after trailing by 616 votes after Thursday’s count and 1,133 after Wednesday’s in the race to succeed Rep. Katie Porter, D-Irvine, who unsuccessfully ran for the Senate seat previously held by late Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
In the 49th Congressional District, Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, added 2,888 votes to his lead over Republican Matt Gunderson to move ahead by 14,045 votes, 179,184-165,139, 52%-48%. Levin led by 11,157 votes after Saturday’s count, 167,787-156,630, 51.7%-48.3%.
Gunderson is leading in Orange County but Levin is ahead in San Diego County.
It was unclear how many ballots remain to be counted in the congressional races.