Calvert Takes Lead in Race for Congress
Republican Ken Calvert moved ahead of Democrat Mark Takano by about 400 votes during a count of absentee ballots in the 43rd Congressional District, election officials said Monday.
Calvert, a real estate broker, claimed victory, saying he doubted that there was any chance the lead would change hands again. But Takano, a teacher and community college trustee, said he had not given up hope and might seek a recount.
Takano had led by 1,234 votes Wednesday, but Riverside County election officials said a check of absentee ballots left uncounted on election night put Calvert ahead by 397 votes--87,869 to 87,472. County election officials said several hundred ballots remained to be counted.
Officials in the Sacramento-Stockton area said the outcome of the 11th Congressional District race, which pitted Republican Richard Pombo against Democrat Patricia Garamendi, will not be known until later this week.
Pombo led Garamendi, wife of state Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, by 905 votes last Wednesday, but an estimated 15,000 votes remained to be counted in two counties.
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