Democratic Rep. Mike Levin has been re-elected to a fourth term representing the 49th Congressional District, a race with national implications but one that remained too close to call until a week after Election Day.
“This was a hard fought, competitive race and I am proud of the incredible work we put in as a team with hundreds of volunteers to get this over the finish line,” Levin said in a statement Tuesday night after The Associated Press called the race in his favor. The Washington Post and Los Angeles Times also moved Levin into the win column.
Levin had 52% of the vote Tuesday, leading Republican challenger Matt Gunderson by more than 14,000 votes, according to the unofficial results posted by the California Secretary of State. According to the Washington Post, about 83 percent of votes had been counted.
On Wednesday, Gunderson issued a statement congratulating Levin on the win and thanking his ers.
“This campaign was never about politics, partisanship, or personal agendas. It was about a commitment to serving the people of our community and fighting for a better, more sustainable future for the next generation,” Gunderson said.
He challenged Levin “to set aside his partisan blinders” and to “stick to his word and be a true bipartisan leader in Washington that walks the same walk and talk at home that he does in DC. Californians deserve advocates, not politicians.”
The 49th District, which straddles San Diego and Orange counties, is one Democrats fought to hold, trying to win back the House as Republicans take the Senate and the presidency.
With the 49th staying in the Democrats’ hands, Republicans need just two more seats to keep control of the House, and 12 races remain too close to call, according to the Associated Press count.
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene issued a statement Tuesday congratulating Levin on the win, calling him “a long-time proven fighter for North County San Diego and South Orange County.”
The district had been in Republican hands for several years until Levin’s election in 2018 — but redistricting reduced its Democratic tilt, and it has grown more competitive. In the run up to the election, the Cook Political Report downgraded its assessment of the race from likely to go Democratic to lean Democrat.
The coastal district stretches from Del Mar and Vista north to Laguna Niguel and Ladera Ranch. On Nov. 5 and in updates as more returns rolled in, Levin held a small single-digit lead throughout.
But there was a notable regional split in the results. San Diego’s North County voters backed Levin by a wide margin, which on Tuesday was roughly 12 percentage points. Orange County voters backed Gunderson by roughly the same wide margin, which was also about 12 percentage points Tuesday.
