Republican Wins Back House Seat From California Dem Dealing Blow To Nancy Pelosi
Republican Michelle Steel has just put Nancy Pelosi and Gavin Newsom on notice and took back a GOP House seat from a one-term Democratic incumbent in Southern California.
Nancy Pelosi and the House Dems got shellacked in the election and she faces a revolt from her left while her endangered moderates are threatening to revolt if Pelosi can’t keep the left in line.
In short, she will have a hard time retaining her speakership. Steel got 51% of the vote in the 48th district located in what was the former GOP stronghold of Orange County.
Her opponent, Rep. Harley Rouda beat the 20-year GOP incumbent, Rep. Dana Rohrbacher in 2018.
Steel said: “This victory has been hard-fought and hard-won, and I could not be more humbled to have your support nor more honored to serve our community in Congress. Now, let’s get to work.”
From The Hill:
GOP candidate Michelle Steel will be the new representative for California’s 48th Congressional District after Rep. Harley Rouda (D-Calif.) conceded on Tuesday.
“We did not win this election. And while it isn’t the outcome we had hoped for, it’s never been more important for our leaders to hear the voice of the people, and to accept their judgement. I do,” Rouda, who entered office in 2019, said in a statement released one week after Election Day as the race had still not been called by media outlets.
The Associated Press called the race on Tuesday at 2:15 p.m. EST.
The race between Rouda and Steel, the Republican chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, was heated heading into the final stretch of the election, with polling from RealClearPolitics indicating the race was a toss-up and the Cook Political Report rating it as “lean Democrat.”
This victory has been hard-fought and hard-won, and I could not be more humbled to have your support nor more honored to serve our community in Congress. Now, let's get to work. #CA48 pic.twitter.com/5aVvsvABiw
— Michelle Steel (@MichelleSteelCA) November 10, 2020
Thanks to the incredible energy brought by our thousands of grassroots volunteers, I was proud to be the first Democrat ever to represent #CA48.
— Harley Rouda (@HarleyRouda) November 10, 2020
Serving the people here has been the honor of my life. https://t.co/up1YVZTnuU