Orange County Republican incumbent Michelle Steel has conceded defeat to Derek Tran in the California District 45 Congressional race.
It was one of the most expensive and fiercely fought races in the country.
The two-time incumbent trailed by just 613 votes in the latest vote tally released Tuesday at 5 p.m. Pacific Time, but Steel has seen her five-point advantage evaporate more and more each day in the last two weeks.
“I owe a debt of gratitude to my supporters, my staff, my family, my daughters and especially my husband, Shawn, for standing by me through endless campaigns,” she wrote on X.
Her apparent defeat narrows the Republican lead in the next House to 220-215.
The statement comes just more than a day after Tran declared victory in the race. At the time, he had just a 581 vote lead. Tran issued a statement today saying that she had called to offer him her congratulations.
The Associated Press also called the race for Tran just about one hour ago.
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