SACRAMENTO -- Democrat Fran Florez conceded defeat Tuesday in the race for a South Valley Assembly seat, officially giving the Republicans control of a district they have sought for years.
The GOP's Danny Gilmore of Hanford will be sworn in at the Capitol on Monday along with other new Assembly members.
Florez trailed on Election Day and every day thereafter. She had hoped to catch up as provisional and absentee ballots were counted. Gilmore's lead shrank some, but never enough to put the outcome in doubt.
The latest tally gives Gilmore a 1,317-vote edge, with almost all ballots counted. His victory, coming in a district where Democrats hold a 10-point voter registration edge, was one of the few election bright spots for Republicans this year.
"Many, many Democrats and [independent voters] supported my candidacy," Gilmore said. "I understood going into this how important it is to go out to all the small communities in the district, and I think that was very, very helpful."
In a concession memo, Florez suggested she would run again in two years: "Just as my opponent Danny Gilmore didn't let his narrow loss deter him from seeking office again, neither will I as the 2010 elections come near."
Gilmore, a retired California Highway Patrol officer, lost in 2006 to the incumbent, Democrat Nicole Parra. Parra terms out this year. She gave Gilmore a boost by crossing party lines to endorse him, a move that angered Democratic leaders.
Parra is a longtime rival of state Sen. Dean Florez, Fran's son.
The mostly rural 30th District covers Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties. Florez won by 30 percentage points in Kern County, the traditional Democratic stronghold. But the advantage was not enough to overcome Gilmore's lead in Kings, Tulare and Fresno counties.
The 30th is one of the few swing districts in the state. Many voters hold moderate views and are reachable by both parties.
Florez, a Shafter City Council member, will remain in the spotlight. She is vice chairwoman of the board of the California High Speed Rail Authority, which is planning a statewide bullet train that would run through the Valley.
The project got a boost when voters in November approved a $9.95 billion bond that will provide initial financing.
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