Republican Rep. Mike Garcia added 18 votes to his lead in Friday’s count to move 405 votes ahead of Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith in the race to represent a northern Los Angeles County congressional district.
Garcia has 169,464 votes, or 50.1%, while Smith has 169,059, or 49.9%, according to figures released Friday by the Secretary of State’s Office.
An unknown number of ballots remain to be counted in the 25th Congressional District which stretches from the Antelope Valley into Ventura County. Election results are scheduled to be certified on Monday.
Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, led by 387 votes entering Friday’s count. He claimed victory last Friday night when he led by 400.
Smith, D-Santa Clarita, took a 1,287-vote lead on Nov. 9 after trailing by 432 votes at the start of that day’s count. Garcia regained the lead Nov. 10, pulling 159 votes ahead and has led at the end of each day’s count since then.
Garcia defeated Smith, 54.86%-45.14%, or 95,667-78,721, in a May 12 special election to fill the final 7 1/2 months of the term of former Rep. Katie Hill, D-Agua Dulce, who resigned following the online release of salacious photos and allegations of an extramarital affair with a staff member.
The seat had long been held by Republicans until Hill’s 2018 victory over then-Rep. Steve Knight, R-Palmdale.
The winner of the Nov. 3 election will represent the district for the next two years.