Republican Newcomer Mike Garcia Flips California U.S. House Seat; 1st Time In More Than 20 Years
LOS ANGELES (CBS SF) -- In a rare win for Republicans in California, the GOP has flipped a former Democratic U.S. House seat in a special election.
Newcomer Mike Garcia has won with 56 percent of the vote; the first time the GOP has flipped a California district from blue to red since 1998. Democratic state Assemblywoman Christy Smith conceded the race for the state's 25th congressional district, which encompasses parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Wednesday.
The businessman and former Navy combat pilot -- who's never held political office before -- had received the endorsement of President Trump. Garcia takes over the seat which had been left vacant when Democrat Katie Hill resigned after leaked, explicit photos of her were published on conservative websites.