Two incumbent Republican members of Congress had their election leads slip away in the latest ballot count update, released Saturday.
The L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk released its fourth ballot count update Saturday evening, showing Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, losing his lead in northern Los Angeles County’s 27th Congressional District race to Democrat George Whitesides, a former NASA chief of staff.
Results indicate Whitesides now holds a 50.4%-49.6% lead, a difference of 2,114 votes.
“It is essential that every vote cast by the people of our district is thoroughly and accurately counted,” Garcia said in a statement after the previous ballot count update. “While we await the final results, variations in daily vote totals are to be expected as the process continues.
“I am confident that when all votes are in, our message of economic security, safe neighborhoods and protecting critical programs like Social Security and Medicare will have resonated with CA-27 families.”
After Friday’s new totals, Whitesides wrote on social media the he won “over 57% of new votes counted” with “thousands more to come.”
Meanwhile, in Orange County’s 45th Congressional District, Rep. Michelle Steel saw her lead over Democrat Derek Tran slip away after leading by 7,590 votes in the prior count. Steel now trails Tran by 2,966 votes, or 44.89% to his 55.11%.
There were no new updates Saturday in the other closely contested races.
As of Friday’s update, Sen. Dave Min, D-Irvine, had taken the lead on Republican Scott Baugh by 1,078 votes, according to figures released by the Orange County Registrar of Voters. At the completion of the day’s count, Min was holding a 50.19%-49.81% lead for the seat vacated by Rep. Katie Porter.
“With the remaining votes expected to trend our way, we’re optimistic about our chances to keep #CA47 blue,” Min wrote on social media.
In the 49th Congressional District, Rep. Mike Levin, D-Dana Point, increased his lead over Republican Matt Gunderson from 6,368 votes Thursday to 9,748 on Friday, 51.5%-48.4%.
Gunderson is winning in Orange County but Levin has the lead in San Diego County.
Meanwhile, as of Friday, Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, was holding a 7,380-vote lead over Democrat Will Rollins in his bid for a 17th term representing Riverside County’s 41st Congressional District, 51.42%-48.5%.
The L.A. County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk estimated the number of outstanding ballots to be processed at 526,000. Of those, were 420,000 vote-by-mail ballots; 94,000 conditional voter registration ballots; and 12,000 provisional ballots.
The next ballot count update is expected Sunday.