Republican Scott Baugh has conceded to Democrat Dave Min in the House race to succeed Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) in a toss-up Orange County, California district, keeping the seat within Democratic control.
The race, still too close for the Associated Press to call, currently sits at 50.9% for Min and 49.1% for Baugh. Baugh posted his letter of concession to X on Tuesday night, leaving remarks of disappointment in the race but optimism for America.
“I was looking forward to working with Democrats, Republicans, and @realDonaldTrump to solve serious problems like an open border, increasing crime, and runaway federal spending, but the voters have spoken, and this is not what is intended for me,” Baugh wrote.
“Despite the outcome of this race, I remain hopeful and optimistic about America because the American people are entrepreneurial, industrious, creative, and are rooted in the values that made this country the greatest country in the history of the world,” Baugh continued. “We just need to get government out of the way to unleash the enormous power of productivity in the minds and hands of every person who calls America their home.”
California’s 47th district seat, once called “Reagan Country,” had been reliably red for decades until the county flipped blue in 2002, staying the same ever since. Baugh has attempted to flip the seat red twice, narrowly losing to Porter in 2022 and conceding to Min in 2024.
Rather than running for reelection, Porter chose to run for California’s open Senate seat left by the late Dianne Feinstein. Porter lost to Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) in the primary; Schiff went on to win the Senate position with 59% of the vote. Porter’s decision to leave the seat open made Democrats nervous, knowing they needed to save every blue seat in the House they could.
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In 2018, Min ran for the House seat in California’s 45th district but lost in the primary race. He then got elected to the California State Senate in 2020, representing the 37th district, which is comprised of South Los Angeles.
The Associated Press has officially called 46 of California’s 52 races, with 38 districts going to Democrats and Republicans taking eight seats. There are still six races too close to call, including the 47th, but it’s estimated Democrats and Republicans will win three seats each.