Some California congressional races are too close to call. Who won Sacramento, San Luis Obispo?
Many California congressional incumbents prevailed on Election Night, early results show, but some key races remain too close to call.
California is poised to help determine which party controls the House of Representatives in 2025. The outcome in some of the state’s House districts might not be clear for days or weeks.
Here’s who won House races in Sacramento and San Luis Obispo so far:
California’s 1st Congressional District
Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale, won re-election in California’s 1st Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Wednesday.
LaMalfa, a member of Congress since 2013, faced Democrat Rose Penelope Yee, a small business owner. LaMalfa had 63.5% of the votes and Yee had 36.5% as of 8:07 a.m. An estimated 46% of votes had been counted.
The 1st district includes Butte, Colusa, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama and most of Yuba counties. Nonpartisan election analysts say the district is solidly Republican.
California’s 3rd Congressional District
Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, won re-election in California’s 3rd Congressional District, the Associated Press projected at 7:48 a.m. Wednesday.
Kiley, a freshman congressman, faced Democrat Jessica Morse, a wildfire mitigation expert, in this district that nonpartisan election analysts said would likely, not definitely, select a Republican this year.
Kiley had 57.5% of the votes and Morse had 42.5% as of 7:48 a.m. An estimated 60% of votes had been counted.
The 3rd district stretches from the northern Sierra Nevada along the Nevada border into Death Valley, taking in Alpine, Inyo, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas and Sierra counties plus parts of El Dorado, Sacramento and Yuba counties.
Analysts have been watching this Lake Tahoe district that reaches into some of the Sacramento suburbs as one that might grow bluer over time.
California’s 4th Congressional District
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, won re-election in California’s 4th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected.
Thompson, a member of Congress since 1999, faced Republican John Munn, a farmer and rancher. Thompson had 66% of the votes and Munn had 34% as of 3:56 a.m. An estimated 48% of votes had been counted.
The 4th district contains all of Lake and Napa counties plus parts of Yolo, Solano and Sonoma counties. Nonpartisan election analysts say the district is solidly Democratic.
California’s 5th Congressional District
Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Elk Grove, won re-election in California’s 5th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected.
McClintock, a member of Congress since 2009, faced a repeat Democratic challenge from Mike Barkley, a lawyer and property manager. McClintock had 62% of the votes and Barkley had 38% as of 1:44 a.m. An estimated 61% of votes had been counted.
The 5th district runs from Placerville down into Fresno County, covering Yosemite National Park and parts of Kings Canyon National Park. It grabs Amador, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Mariposa counties as well as western El Dorado County and eastern Stanislaus, Madera and Fresno counties.
California’s 6th Congressional District
Rep. Ami Bera, D-Elk Grove, won re-election in California’s 6th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected Wednesday.
Bera, a member of Congress since 2013, faced Republican Christine Bish, a Realtor and financial investigator. Bera had 57% of the votes and Bish had 43% as of 2:14 a.m. An estimated 44% of votes had been counted.
The 6th district is in Sacramento County, covering the north side of Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights, Arden-Arcade and most of Fair Oaks. It is solidly Democratic, per nonpartisan election analysts.
California’s 7th Congressional District
Rep. Doris Matsui, D-Sacramento, won re-election in California’s 7th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected.
Matsui, a member of Congress since 2005, faced Republican Tom Silva, a veteran and school board trustee. Matsui had 64.5% of the votes and Silva had 35.5% as of 2:14 a.m. An estimated 45% of votes had been counted.
The 7th district covers southern Sacramento County and bits of Solano and Yolo counties, taking in Downtown Sacramento, Galt, Elk Grove and West Sacramento. It is solidly Democratic, according to nonpartisan election analysts.
California’s 24th Congressional District
About five hours south of Sacramento in San Luis Obispo, Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, won re-election in California’s 24th Congressional District, the Associated Press projected.
Carbajal, a member of Congress since 2017, faced Republican Thomas Cole. Carbajal had 62% of the votes and Cole had 38% as of 3:34 a.m. An estimated 55% of votes had been counted.
The 24th district contains all of Santa Barbara County, most of San Luis Obispo County and part of Venture County, capturing the cities of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo.
Races that haven’t been called
Just south of Sacramento, a couple of races are too close to call.
Rep. Josh Harder, D-Tracy, was leading Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln, a Republican, in early returns from California’s 9th Congressional District.
Harder, a member of Congress since 2019, had 51% of the votes and Lincoln had 49% as of 1:45 a.m. An estimated 56% of votes had been counted.
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.
And Rep. John Duarte, R-Modesto, was leading former Assemblyman Adam Gray, D-Merced, in early returns from California’s 13th Congressional District.
Duarte, a farmer turned congressman, had 51% of the votes and Gray had 49% as of 3:30 a.m. An estimated 52% of votes had been counted.
Their 2024 rematch is expected to be one of the nation’s closest House elections. The 2022 contest was one of the closest in the nation, helping give Republicans a slim House majority. Duarte was declared the winner several weeks after Election Day, with the freshman prevailing by about four-tenths of a percentage point.
The 13th district includes all of Merced County and chunks of Madera, Stanislaus, Fresno and San Joaquin counties. Nonpartisan election analysts rated the race as a tossup.
There are also uncalled races in and around Fresno, including in California’s 21st and 22nd Congressional Districts, with incumbent Reps. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, and David Valadao, R-Hanford, respectively leading.
This story was originally published November 6, 2024 at 12:34 PM with the headline "Some California congressional races are too close to call. Who won Sacramento, San Luis Obispo?."
