Democratic challenger Derek Tran added 83 votes to his narrow lead over Republican Rep. Michelle Steel Thursday in the 45th Congressional District race to move 480 votes ahead.
Tran entered Thursday’s resumption of counting of previously unprocessed ballots with a 397-vote lead. The consumer rights attorney and co-owner of a pharmacy with his wife Michelle leads 156,576-156,096, 50.1% to 49.9%, according to the Secretary of State’s Office.
Tran trails in the Orange County portion of the district, 141,274-137,540, 50.7%-49.3%, but leads in the Los Angeles County portion — Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens and a portion of Lakewood — 19,036-14,822, 56.2%-43.8%.
Tran led by 314 votes entering Wednesday’s resumption of counting and 102 entering Tuesday’s. He took his first lead over the two-term incumbent Saturday, moving ahead by 36 votes after trailing by 11,363 Nov. 6, a day after the election.
Tran trailed by 7,590 votes Nov. 8; 6,901 Nov. 9; 6,128 Nov. 10 when only ballots from the Los Angeles County portion of the district were counted; 3,908 Nov. 11; 2,227 Nov. 12; 349 Nov. 12; 236 last Thursday; and 58 Friday.
It is not known how many ballots remain to be counted.