Rep. Jim Costa pulls ahead of Andy Vidak in updated count
Rep. Jim Costa (D-Fresno) has pulled ahead of Republican Andy Vidak in the bid to keep his congressional seat, updated tallies from the California secretary of state’s office showed Wednesday.
In late afternoon, Costa was leading Vidak, a cherry farmer, 39,829 votes to 38,511. Thousands of ballots remained to be counted, and the secretary of state’s office expects to have another update Friday.
Wednesday marked the first time since the Nov. 2 election that Costa, a three-term incumbent, had not trailed Vidak.
Costa’s district was one of three in California targeted by Republicans in their successful bid to take control of the House of Representatives in mid-term elections. The outcome also remains uncertain in a Northern California district where Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) continued Wednesday to maintain a slim lead over Republican attorney David Harmer.
In the third race, Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) beat back a challenge from Republican Assemblyman Van Tran, also of Garden Grove, to remain the only Democratic House member representing Orange County.
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