Democrat George Whitesides has, for the first time since election night on Nov. 5, moved ahead of Republican Rep. Mike Garcia in the fiercely contested race for California’s 27th Congressional District seat. According to the latest tally from the L.A. County registrar’s office on Saturday, Nov. 9, Whitesides holds 50.4% of the vote, compared to Garcia’s 49.6%, with 2,114 votes separating them. The next update is expected on Sunday afternoon.
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In L.A. County, over 3.3 million ballots have been counted, with an estimated 526,000 still left to process countywide. It’s uncertain how many remain for individual races, and the registrar has until Dec. 3 to certify the final results.
The high-profile race between Garcia and Whitesides is drawing national attention, as its outcome could influence which party gains control of the House. By Saturday, Republicans had secured 212 seats, while Democrats held 201, with 22 races yet to be decided. A minimum of 218 seats is required for a House majority.
With Republican Donald Trump winning the presidential election and the GOP regaining control of the Senate, Democrats are hoping to capture the House to act as a counterbalance.
From the outset, the race in California’s 27th District was expected to be tight and was rated a toss-up going into Election Day. The district covers parts of northern L.A. County, including Lancaster, Palmdale, and Santa Clarita.
Whitesides, a political newcomer and former NASA chief of staff, initially led as early results came in on election night. However, Garcia soon took the lead and maintained it until Saturday.
Once a conservative bastion, the demographics of the 27th District have shifted, with more Democratic registrations over the years. Currently, just over 40% of the district’s voters are registered Democrats, compared to 30% registered Republicans, with another 21.5% registered as “no party preference.”
In addition to the District 27 race, several other close races in Los Angeles County remain unresolved:
State Senate: In District 35, Laura Richardson overtook Michelle Chambers on Saturday. Richardson, with 50.85% of the vote, leads Chambers, who has 49.15%, in a Democrat-vs.-Democrat contest to succeed outgoing state Sen. Steven Bradford. Richardson, a San Pedro housing advocate and small business owner, has previously served on the Long Beach City Council and in both the state Assembly and U.S. House of Representatives. Chambers, a community justice advocate from Compton, served on the Compton City Council and as an aide to former U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn. Senate District 35 includes South L.A. County areas like Inglewood, Hawthorne, Compton, Carson, and San Pedro.
State Assembly: In District 40, incumbent Democrat Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo widened her lead over Republican challenger Patrick Gipson, a retired L.A. County sheriff’s deputy. As of Saturday, Schiavo led with 52.02% of the vote to Gipson’s 47.98%. Schiavo was first elected to the Assembly in 2022, and Gipson has previously worked as a lifeguard for both the city and county of Los Angeles. The district covers the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the northwestern San Fernando Valley.
LAUSD: In the race for the District 3 seat on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education, incumbent Scott Schmerelson slightly expanded his lead over math teacher Daniel Chang. By Saturday, Schmerelson had 51.91% of the vote, while Chang had 48.09%. District 3 stretches from North Hollywood to Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, and most of the western San Fernando Valley. Schmerelson, a retired principal, has served on the board since 2015. Chang is currently a teacher at James Madison Middle School in North Hollywood.