The final U.S. House race has been decided for 2024 after Democrat Adam Gray captured California’s 13th Congressional District on Tuesday, unseating Republican Rep. John Duarte in the process.
The count was finalised 26 days after polling.
Gray, a former state legislator, won by a margin of less than 200 votes, with election officials reporting all ballots had now been counted in CA-13 which is a Central Valley district, AP reports.
The outlet notes Duarte captured the seat in 2022 when he defeated Gray by one of the closest margins in the country, 564 votes.
The result comes in an area where Democrats tend to be more moderate and prioritize local issues like water.
Democrats have been making slow advances in the Central Valley thanks to migration out of blue cities into distant, more affordable communities.
The departing Republican was often listed among the most vulnerable House Republicans given that narrow margin of victory in a district with a Democratic tilt — about 11 points over registered Republicans.
Gray said in a statement: “We always knew that this race would be as close as they come, and we’re expecting a photo finish this year, too.”
Duarte told the Turlock Journal he had called Gray to concede, adding “That’s how it goes.”
“I’m a citizen legislator, and I didn’t plan on being in Congress forever,” Duarte told the newspaper, though he didn’t rule out a possible future campaign.