Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux will advance to the November election in the 20th Congressional District, according to the Associated Press.
The Associated Press called the race on Wednesday at 10:49 a.m.
Driving the news: The Associated Press’s decision comes after nearly 44,000 votes were processed by Fresno, Tulare, Kings and Kern Counties on Tuesday.
- That gave him a firm spot in second place at 24.8 percent at the latest count.
- Boudreaux is now leading Democrat Marisa Wood by 5,330 votes, much larger than the 1,500-vote lead he held on election night.
- Boudreaux will advance to face Asm. Vince Fong (R–Bakersfield), who led the field at 41.2 percent and leads by over 22,000 more votes.
What’s next: Boudreaux and Fong will also face each other, along with a number of other candidates, in the special election to serve out the remainder of Speaker Emeritus Kevin McCarthy’s term.
- That election will be held on March 19, with a run-off – if needed – on May 21.
What they’re saying: “I got into this race because the Valley demanded leadership in Washington with real experience confronting our biggest issues: safety and our open border,” Boudreaux said in a statement. “Since entering the race in December, I’ve logged thousands of miles of travel across the four counties of this district to share my vision for a stronger, safer Valley for all. Despite a tight window of time and a tall hill to climb, our journey is just beginning. Onward.”
