Josh Harder takes early lead over Kevin Lincoln in California congressional election
Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, was leading his Republican challenger in California’s 9th Congressional District on Tuesday night, according to the Associated Press, as early returns came in.
Harder, a member of Congress since 2019, faces Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln, a Republican, in a race that analysts predicted might become close.
Harder had 53.5% of the votes with an estimated 42% of ballots counted as of 10:05 p.m. on Tuesday. Lincoln had 46.5%.
The 9th district, centered around Stockton, holds most of San Joaquin County and reaches from Galt through Manteca.
The district was likely, but not definitely, going to pick a Democrat for the House, election forecasters had said. Analysts cited national Republican enthusiasm to flip this seat and Lincoln’s candidacy as an upside for the GOP here, but noted Harder’s decisive 2022 win and the district’s left-leaning makeup favored Democrats.
Several California congressional contests could help decide whether Democrats or Republicans control the House of Representatives in 2025. Democrats need to flip four seats nationwide to take the majority.
Harder, 38, entered the House by ousting a Republican congressman from a district containing Harder’s hometown of Turlock. Harder retained his seat in the 2020 election.
Following 2020 redistricting, the once-a-decade redrawing of legislative maps based on census data, Harder’s old district was chopped up. A significant chunk moved into a district with Stockton.
When longtime Stockton Rep. Jerry McNerney, a Democrat, said he was not going to run for Congress again, Harder announced he would run in the newly-drawn seat. He won by almost 10 percentage points against San Joaquin County Supervisor Tom Patti, a Republican.
Harder worked in venture capital until 2017. He left during his first congressional bid and taught at Modesto Junior College.
In Congress, he sits on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which writes government spending bills.
Lincoln, 44, has been mayor of his hometown of Stockton since 2021, running for and entering public office for the first time amid the coronavirus pandemic that forced lockdowns throughout the U.S.
Prior to becoming mayor, Lincoln served in the U.S. Marine Corps and on Marine One during President George W. Bush’s administration. After moving back to California to start his family, Lincoln was a district manager for a private security company and an executive administrator for his local church.
This story was originally published November 5, 2024 at 8:40 PM with the headline "Josh Harder takes early lead over Kevin Lincoln in California congressional election."
