Democrat Adam Gray unseats Rep. John Duarte in California's 13th Congressional District, CBS News projects
Challenger Adam Gray will win California's 13th congressional district, CBS News projects, defeating incumbent Rep. John Duarte and delivering a critical House seat for the Democrats.
The projected win is a flip for Democrats – and the last House race that remained undecided, a month after election day. It also means that the GOP's margin of control for the House will be 220 to 215.
Gray released a statement on Tuesday, the final day of ballot counting in California, as results showed him leading Duarte by fewer than 200 votes.
"I'm honored to become the Congressman-elect for California's 13th Congressional District," Gray wrote. "The final results confirm this district is ready for independent and accountable leadership that always puts the Valley's people ahead of partisan politics."
Duarte has not released a statement about the race as of Wednesday morning.
The Duarte-Gray contest was a rematch of a 2022 race that was also decided by the slimmest of margins. It took nearly a month for a winner to be declared in the 2022 version of the race, with Duarte claiming victory by just 564 votes.
Considered a moderate Republican, Duarte often charted a different path than his own party. The Heritage Foundation's Action for America scorecard gave Duarte a lifetime score of just 41% on conservative issue votes, compared to the 73% score for the average GOP member of the House.
Gray, a Merced native, represented Merced and Stanislaus counties in California's 21st Assembly District from 2012 to 2022.
Also labeling himself as a moderate, previously calling himself the most moderate Democrat in California, Gray has made water and agriculture the topline issue of his campaign. Gray's list of endorsements included the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Equality California, and Reproductive Freedom for All, among numerous labor organizations.
California's 13th Congressional District encompasses a large stretch of southern San Joaquin Valley. Parts of Fresno, Merced, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties are within the district's boundaries. President Joe Biden
