Democrat Mike Levin holds on to San Diego-area House seat, beating GOP challenger Matt Gunderson
WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Mike Levin defeated a challenge from Republican Matt Gunderson to secure a fourth term representing a coastal district in San Diego and Orange counties.
The Associated Press called the race in California’s 49th Congressional District on Tuesday, though official results will take longer.
The win means Democrats will retain control of a seat that had been vulnerable to flipping. But it may not be enough for Democrats to win control of the House. Republicans were two seats away from winning the majority Tuesday night with a handful or races still to be decided.
Levin, a former environmental attorney, was elected to the House in 2018 and has supported zero-emission vehicles, protections for water quality and safe removal of nuclear fuel from the closed San Onofre power plant. Gunderson owned three car dealerships in Orange County before he retired. He ran as a supporter of abortion rights, tax cuts and border security.
With immigration at the forefront of the presidential election, the southern border has become an increasingly significant down-ballot debate in California.
The biggest issues in the coastal district that lies about 50 miles north of the border with Mexico included the environment, housing, veteran affairs and immigration.
The battle for the 49th District seat was one of several tight congressional races in California that will help determine which party controls the House of Representatives in the next Congress. Last month, the Cook Political Report moved the district race from “likely Democratic” to “leaning Democratic,” a sign of the concerted effort by Republicans to flip the seat.
“This was a hard-fought, competitive race and I am proud of the incredible work we put in as a team with hundreds of volunteers to get this over the finish line,” Levin said in a statement after the race was called. “We still have work to do to lower costs, secure our borders, protect Social Security and Medicare, remove the nuclear waste at San Onofre, put more sand on our beaches, and much more.”
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