California Democrat McNerney Retains House Seat

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney has been re-elected to a third term in a Northern California congressional district, fending off a challenge from Republican David Harmer.

McNerney held a lead of nearly 2,500 votes Wednesday with less than 1,900 ballots left to be counted.

His re-election means no California congressional seat changed party hands even as Republicans took back the U.S. House of Representatives with a national GOP landslide Nov. 2.

The 11th Congressional District covers four counties stretching from the eastern San Francisco Bay area to a region of the Central Valley that includes Lodi and part of Stockton. It is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.

McNerney's victory follows a win by Rep. Jim Costa, another Central Valley Democrat who found himself in a tight race this year.

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