Kern County election update has pushed Democrat TJ Cox ahead by 436 votes over Incumbent David Valadao late this afternoon.
As of 6:14pm the California Secretary of State released new numbers that gave TJ Cox 55,672 votes to 55,236 votes for Valadao.
If Cox prevails it will be the 40th Democrat flip in the House and the seventh Democrat pick up in California.
As of last Friday Cox had pulled within 447 votes of Valadao, and today took the lead after Kern County updated its numbers. According to the Fresno Bee, “A little under 3,000 ballots remain in Kern, where Cox has secured 61 percent of the vote to date.”
Kings County has 1,577 uncounted ballots, Fresno County 15,200 and less than 8000 in Tulare County, according to the Fresno Bee. Not all ballots in Fresno, Kern, and Tulare counties count towards the 21st District.
It was believed that the 39th Congressional District in Orange County was the last undecided seat when Democrat Gil Cisneros beat Republican Young Kim.
Today’s shocking update revealed that the 21st district is now the last undecided Congressional race in the country.
Valadao gave a victory speech late election night November 6 when he was 5000 votes ahead. That lead progressively narrowed over the last three weeks and by 6:49pm today the Washington Examiner all but called the election for Cox.
The Examiner said, “Three weeks after the midterm elections, ballots were still being counted in California’s 21st Congressional District. Republicans monitoring the race predicted that the next batch would erase Valadao’s diminishing lead and put businessman T.J. Cox, the Democrat, on top.”
TJ Cox issued a statement late this afternoon.
“Here in the Central Valley, we are often underestimated and counted out. But while the national spotlight focused elsewhere, our hard-working communities came together to fight for better health care, good jobs, and more opportunities. We came together to stand up for our families and our neighbors because Washington wasn’t standing up for us. We demanded better from our elected officials. Now, together, we are bringing the decency, integrity, and common sense of the people back to Congress.”
With a Valadao loss the California delegation will be 46 Democrats and seven Republicans.
The next report of uncounted ballots will be Tuesday afternoon.
What crap! This is the kind of worthless reporting that makes us wonder. At this point, shut up until all the votes are counted. I fear for the wellbeing of seniors, since apparently Cox can’t be bothered to run decent senior facilities.
He’s just another political crook!
Dave–
Tone it down, man. This is straight reporting. It may mean when the final vote is tallied that your guy will have won, but for now Cox’ taking a lead is legitimately newsworthy. News agencies the country over monitor races. You don’t advance your argument by insulting us, but of course it is your prerogative to make yourself ridiculous.
Dave M, it is called proselytizing journalism. Do you see the trend? The VV gets all sycophantic when they can write an article against a Republican, because they are self-proclaimed Democrats. It is hypocracy in the finest form. It also undermines the basic foundation of objective journalism. Nevermind, Cox’s inexperience or questionable past, because that is irrelevant, or the fact he could not even vote in his own election. It is a “D” behind the name or nothing for these people. Joseph, the Architect, in his opinion piece, demands checks over Trump, but refuses to pose the same demands for the Governor of California. Sadly, he applauded the fact of a democratic super majority governing California. Those biases, and the use of his platform to push an agenda should be of concern to those who desire a balance within our governmental systems. But like he said it is his prerogative if he wants to make himself and his paper look ridiculous. Remember it was Joseph who said he lives in an Arkansian area of California, whatever that is suppose to mean. Also remember, sensationalism drives readership…readership sells ads. Journalism and the VV are like the high speed rail and DMV…..a freaking debacle. But elites will never fess up to their mistakes and errors, they just tax more to cover their ideological deficiencies and inefficiencies. Exactly why the mass exodus of California is live and well, and more importantly the high speed rail is dead. Stupid hurts!
Dave M and OJ….. I know both of you will want to openly congratulate Mr. Cox on his hard fought win for the 21st District and send your condolences to Mr. Valadao for his loss.