Republican leaders nationally Wednesday sent congratulatory messages to Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Corona, hailing a narrow victory in his re-election bid for the 41st Congressional District seat, but Democratic challenger Will Rollins is yet to concede defeat.
After Decision Desk HQ declared Calvert the winner Monday evening, and Calvert issued a statement declaring victory, Rollins’ campaign manager still insisted the race was too close to call, saying there could still be thousands of votes still left to tally.
The Associated Press on Wednesday also proclaimed Calvert the winner. The latest tally from the California Secretary of State’s office showed Calvert with an 8,123-vote lead over Rollins, his biggest lead. Calvert was leading 161,202-153,079, 51.3%-48.7%.
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.”
However, Coby Eiss, Rollins’ campaign manager, called the race “to close to call” Monday saying in a statement “there could be at least 80,000 votes to be counted.”
Rollins’ campaign has not commented since.
On Wednesday afternoon, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson posted a congratulatory message on X for Calvert. The National Republican Congressional Committee issued a statement congratulating him, and saying Calvert “will continue delivering proven results for families in Riverside County, from working to lower inflation to keeping their neighborhoods safe and secure.”
A win would be Calvert’s 17th term in the House. He is the longest-serving Republican in California’s congressional delegation.
This would be Calvert’s second successive term in the redrawn 41st district. He also defeated Rollins in 2022.
Calvert currently serves on two subcommittees of the House Committee on Appropriations. He is the chair of the Subcommittee on Defense, having previously been a ranking member for four years, as well as a member of the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies.