Harley Rouda and Michelle Steel look ahead to November showdown for Rouda's 48th Congressional District seat

March 4, 2020 5:57 PM PT

The day after Super Tuesday brought triumphant messages from U.S. Rep. Harley Rouda and Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel after they topped a field of six to advance to the November election for Rouda’s 48th Congressional District seat.

In the most recent count posted by the county registrar of voters office at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Rouda (D-Laguna Beach) led Steel (R-Seal Beach) with 44% of the vote to 36.6%. The top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s primary will face each other in the Nov. 3 general election, and Rouda and Steel were well clear of the four other candidates.

“I dedicated my first year in office to bringing common-sense solutions to the problems facing our community,” Rouda, who was elected to the two-year post in November 2018, said in a tweet Tuesday night. “Our community’s trust means everything to me — I’m proud to have earned it, and I will continue fighting to deliver bipartisan solutions for coastal Orange County.”

Rouda’s election flipped the 48th District’s representation from red to blue, pushing out longtime Republican incumbent Dana Rohrabacher.

Steel, who has represented the 2nd District on the Board of Supervisors since 2014 and currently is the board chairwoman, took to Twitter on Wednesday morning to thank her volunteers and other supporters.

“Last night’s victory is thanks to your hard work and commitment to making #CA48 a better place to live, work and raise our children,” Steel wrote.

The 48th Congressional District includes Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Laguna Niguel and parts of Garden Grove, Midway City, Aliso Viejo, Santa Ana and Westminster.

Vote percentages for 48th Congressional District candidates (as of 5 p.m. Wednesday)

Brian Burley: 12.7%

James Brian Griffin: 1.4%

Richard Mata: 2.7%

Harley Rouda (incumbent): 44%

John Thomas Schuesler: 2.6%

Michelle Steel: 36.6%

Updates

5:57 p.m. March 4, 2020: This article was originally published at 12:15 p.m. and has been updated with new information.