This state Senate race has narrowed from more than 3,000 votes to less than 400 votes

State Sen. Melissa Hurtado, speaking to a group of supporters at a southeast Bakersfield restaurant on Election Night, foretold what would happen with the vote counting.

“I have all my trust and faith in the people of the Senate district, and I feel that the results at the end of the day are going to come in and support me for state Senate,” Hurtado said.

Two days later, the Democrat was trailing David Shepherd, a Republican farmer from Porterville, by more than 3,000 votes in a district that favors a Democrat.

However, the race has tightened as the final votes are counted, especially those from Kern County.

By Wednesday afternoon, Shepherd’s lead had shrunk to 387 votes and he had 50.1% of the vote to 49.9% for Hurtado. The race is the second-closest in California, according to the state.

It is not known how many more votes are left to tabulate in Kern County, where Secretary of State figures show Hurtado holding a 57.9%-to-42.1% advantage.

That 9,554-vote advantage has allowed her to offset Shepherd’s strength in Kings County and the portions of Fresno and Tulare counties that are in the newly redrawn district.

Kern County accounts for about 44% of the voters in the 16th District.

On Nov. 16, Shepherd, who is making his first run for political office, enjoyed a 49,745 votes-to-46,817 votes advantage.

Wednesday morning, Shepherd led 67,407 votes to 66,984 votes.

Hurtado – who moved to Bakersfield after redistricting put her Sanger home in the same district as colleague Anna Caballero – raised and spent about $4 million in the race for a Latino-majority district that stretches from Reedley to Bakersfield.

Shepherd, who said he is a third-generation farmer, had less than one-fourth of that amount to spend

In the June primary when Democrats tend to not vote at the same rate as Republicans, Shepherd captured 43.6% of the vote to Hurtado’s 29.7%.

Four years ago, Hurtado, then a member of the Sanger City Council, upset Republican incumbent Andy Vidak by more than 16,000 votes after Election Night results showed her trailing.

Esta historia fue publicada originalmente el 23 de noviembre de 2022, 3:30 p. m..