Democratic Sen. Dave Min won an open congressional seat in coastal Orange County, defeating Republican business owner Scott Baugh despite recent progress in GOP voter registration.
California’s 47th Congressional District is one of the most competitive elections in the country and is seen by both parties as crucial in their attempts to control the House. Min’s victory means Democrats will keep the seat they currently hold, but it may not be enough for them to secure a majority. As of Tuesday evening, Republicans were two seats away from victory in the House.
Baugh conceded the race Tuesday with a statement to supporters.
“I looked forward to working with Democrats, Republicans and @therealdonaldtrump to solve serious problems like open borders, rising crime and skyrocketing federal spending, but the voters have spoken and this is not the case. “is not what was meant for me,” Baugh wrote.
Min said he would head to the nation’s Capitol “with his eyes wide open.”
“We face the fight of our lives trying to defend this country, its most precious heritage and democratic institutions,” Min said in a statement.
“I will continue to defend our rights, including women’s reproductive rights, and fight for a better, stronger future for young people, including creating more affordable housing, reducing gun violence and doing everything we we can to save our civilization. of the climate crisis. The fight has just begun.
California’s 47th Congressional District is currently held by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, who will leave Congress in January. His decision not to seek re-election and instead run for the U.S. Senate, a bid that was unsuccessful in the March primary, sparked a heated competition for his replacement. Porter narrowly fended off a challenge from Baugh in 2022.
The future of the seat hinged on a razor-thin margin in the days following Election Day. At one point, only 600 votes separated the two candidates.
For years, Democrats have had a slight edge over Republicans in voter registration in this wealthy coastal district, which includes Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Newport Beach and Seal Beach.
But the GOP’s registration gains have reversed that advantage this cycle. Registered Republican voters outnumbered registered Democrats by 383 at the end of October, according to the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
Yet the Cook Political Report, which tracks House races, has classified the 47th District as Democratic-leaning. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee included the race — seen as a key victory for Democrats hoping to regain control of the House — on its “red to blue” list. The race was such a priority for Democrats that former President Clinton came to Orange County last month to campaign for Min.
Min, a former law professor at UC Irvine, has served in the state Senate since 2020. During his congressional campaign, Min emphasized his desire to codify Roe vs. Wade and other laws at the federal level that , he said, would protect women’s rights to make their own health care decisions. He also advocated for gun violence prevention during his campaign, highlighting legislation he authored that banned gun shows on state property.
Min broke with party leadership, including Gov. Gavin Newsom, over the summer when he publicly supported Proposition 36, a controversial anti-crime measure that will increase penalties for certain theft and drug offenses. California voters overwhelmingly approved the measure.
Min faced a barrage of attacks related to his arrest for drunk driving last year and last month his campaign signs were defaced with anti-Asian slurs.
Baugh, a Huntington Beach attorney, led the Orange County GOP as chairman from 2004 to 2015 and served in the California Assembly from 1995 to 2000. Baugh focused much of his campaign on security borders, inflation and public security.
In a television ad, Baugh spoke about his younger brother’s death from fentanyl in 2020 and stressed that his first priority in Congress would be to combat the fentanyl epidemic. Baugh faced attacks from Democrats for allegations of misconduct during his election to the Assembly in 1995 and for his opposition to abortion.
Min has raised nearly $6 million for his campaign, while Baugh has raised more than $3.6 million. Significant outside spending was pumped into the race, with political action committees contributing $4.4 million to support Min and $1.3 million to support Baugh, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Outside groups have also spent millions to oppose the candidates. The Democratic-aligned House majority PAC and the conservative United Democracy Project and Club for Growth Action were among the biggest spenders.
