Democrat Adam Gray has won California’s 13th Congressional District race by a mere 187 votes, defeating incumbent Republican Rep. John Duarte, according to The Associated Press.
California’s 13th Congressional District was the last seat to be called, with the district being one of the most competitive races in the Golden State. Republicans maintained the majority with 220 U.S. House seats, and Democrats at 215.
Gray was the ninth Democrat to flip a House seat in the 2024 election, while the GOP flipped eight seats – slipping the Republican majority. Three Republican members – Elise Stefanik, Michael Waltz and Matt Gaetz – were picked for the incoming Trump administration, though Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration, and it may take several months to fill those seats.
Gray, a former state legislator who represented California’s 21st Assembly District from 2012 to 2022, is considered a centrist Democrat who focused on key concerns for farmers in the Central Valley like water shortages. He also campaigned on renewable energy solutions.
The race has been characterized as one of the tightest in the country. In 2022, Duarte narrowly defeated Gray by just 564 votes.
