Democratic state Sen. Dave Ming won the open seat in coastal Orange County, defeating Republican business owner Scott Baugh, despite recent increases in Republican voter registration.
California’s 47th Congressional District is one of the most competitive in the nation, and both parties viewed it as critical to controlling the House. Min’s victory means the Democratic Party will retain the seats it currently holds, but it may not be enough to win a majority. As of Tuesday night, Republicans were two seats away from winning the House.
Baugh confirmed his candidacy in a statement to supporters on Tuesday.
“I looked forward to working with Democrats, Republicans, and @therealdonaldtrump to solve serious problems like open borders, rising crime, and runaway federal spending, but voters have spoken and this is not what I intended,” Bo wrote.
Min said he was heading to the Capitol “with eyes wide open.”
“We face the fight of our lives to protect this country, its most treasured heritage and democratic institutions,” Min said in a statement.
“I will continue to advocate for our rights, including women’s reproductive rights, and support young people by building more affordable housing, reducing gun violence, and doing everything we can to save civilization.” We will continue to fight for a stronger and better future” from the climate crisis. The battle has only just begun. ”
California’s 47th Congressional District is currently held by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, who is scheduled to leave Congress in January. Her decision not to seek re-election and instead run for the U.S. Senate, where she was unsuccessful in the March primary, began a heated race to replace her. Porter narrowly defeated Beau’s challenge in 2022.
The future of the seat hinged on razor-thin margins in the days after Election Day. At one point, the difference between the two candidates was just 600 votes.
Democrats have long had a slight voter registration advantage over Republicans in this wealthy coastal district, which includes Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach and Seal Beach.
But an increase in Republican registration reversed that advantage this cycle. At the end of October, there were 383 more Republican registered voters than Democratic registered voters, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
Still, Cook Political Report, which tracks House races, lists the 47th District as Democratic. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added the race to its “red to blue” list, seen as a key victory for Democrats hoping to regain the House majority. The race was such a priority for the Democratic Party that former President Clinton visited Orange County last month to campaign for Min Johnson.
Min, a former University of California, Irvine law professor, has been a state senator since 2020. During her campaign for Congress, Min emphasized her desire to codify Roe v. Wade and other laws at the federal level, claiming they would protect women’s rights. You can make your own medical decisions. During his campaign, he also advocated for gun violence prevention, pointing to a bill he authored that would ban gun shows on federal land.
Over the summer, Minn broke away from party leadership, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, after publicly supporting Prop. 36, a controversial anti-crime bill that stiffened penalties for certain theft and drug crimes. California voters overwhelmingly approved the measure.
Minh has come under fire in connection with a drunk-driving arrest last year, and last month a campaign sign was defaced with anti-Asian slurs.
Mr. Baugh, a Huntington Beach attorney, led the Orange County Republican Party as chairman from 2004 to 2015 and served in the California State Assembly from 1995 to 2000. Mr. Beau focused much of his campaign on border security, inflation and public safety.
In the TV ad, Baugh talked about his brother’s death from fentanyl in 2020 and stressed that his top priority in Congress is to address the fentanyl epidemic. Baugh has faced attacks from Democrats over allegations of fraud in the 1995 House election and because of his opposition to abortion.
Mr. Min raised nearly $6 million for his campaign, while Mr. Bo raised more than $3.6 million. The race received significant outside spending, with political action committees contributing $4.4 million to Min and $1.3 million to Bo, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Outside groups also spent millions of dollars opposing the candidates. The Democratic-aligned House Majority PAC and the conservative United Democracy Project and Club for Growth Action were among the top spenders.
