It looks like California 21 is another District that has flipped from Blue to Red. Republican David Valadao has defeated first-time incumbent Democrat TJ Cox for the U.S. House of Representatives seat.
After the latest update from Kern County, Valadao’s lead of 2,644 votes in the race shrank on Friday to 1,618 votes. The number of votes left to count from Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare counties has dwindled, the lead was enough for Dave Wasserman, U.S. House editor for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report and NBC News contributor to call the race.
I’ve seen enough. David Valadao (R) defeats Rep. T.J. Cox (D) in #CA21, bringing the House GOP’s net gain to 9 seats so far. https://t.co/WnfXzLIGxr
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 21, 2020
Like Young Kim in CA-39, this District was another one stolen by ballot harvesting in 2018. David Valadao was elected in 2012, and had already served three terms. In the 2018 race, the AP had already called the race for Valadao, when late-counted ballots put TJ Cox ahead of him by 862 votes. After two years of Cox, a businessman with a trail of corruption in his wake, voters appear to once again want Valadao to represent them.
AP has not yet called this race, but local publications like the San Joaquin Valley Sun are already making the call:
While taping @LocalElectionHQ last night, I told @RealALEXAN that someone could be sipping champagne as early as today.
In fairness to him, @AndrewRenteria1 really only drinks Tito’s.
Why we’re calling #CA21 for Valadao ⬇️https://t.co/ZU7EPpYweI
— Alex Tavlian (@tavlian) November 21, 2020
“Nov. 20, 2020, 4:21 p.m.: With an update of 11,472 provisional ballots breaking 53.67 percent for Rep. TJ Cox (D–Fresno) and putting an insufficient dent into his deficit, The San Joaquin Valley Sun is projecting that former Rep. David Valadao (R–Hanford) will reclaim his seat in Congress.
“Current estimates for remaining uncounted ballots in Kern County – the bluest portion of the south Valley district – sit in the 8,000 ballot range, requiring Cox to win more than 80 percent of remaining ballots.”
This will be the 12th House pickup for the Republican Party, and the 3rd California seat to flip back to Red.
House GOP pickups:#CA21 David Valadao#CA39 Young Kim#CA48 Michelle Park Steel#FL26 Carlos Gimenez#FL27 Maria Elvira Salazar#IA01 Ashley Hinson#MN07 Michelle Fischbach#NM02 Yvette Herrell#NY11 Nicole Malliotakis#OK05 Stephanie Bice#SC01 Nancy Mace#UT04 Burgess Owens
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) November 21, 2020
