Mike Garcia Sworn In As 25th Congressional District Representative

SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA) — Republican aerospace executive Mike Garcia was sworn in Tuesday to fill the congressional seat vacated by Democrat Katie Hill.

Votes cast in last week's special election are still being tallied, but Garcia claimed victory after Democratic Assemblywoman Christy Smith conceded the election.

The results of the election have not been certified, but Garcia has remained a roughly 10-point lead.

Garcia will fill out the remaining seven months of Hill's term, and square off again with Smith in November for a full term.

The 25th Congressional District — which includes Santa Clarita, Simi Valley and Palmdale — has become a swing district, changing hands from Republican Steve Knight to Hill and back to Garcia. Garcia is the first Republican to win a congressional seat in California that had been held by a Democrat since 1988.