Challenger Overtakes Michelle Steel in Congressional Race by 36 Votes

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Democratic challenger Derek Tran holds his first lead over Republican Rep. Michelle Steel Sunday in the 45th Congressional District in California.

SANTA ANA, Calif.—Democratic challenger Derek Tran holds his first lead over Republican Rep. Michelle Steel Sunday in the 45th Congressional District race after trailing by as many as 11,363 votes.

The consumer rights attorney and co-owner of a pharmacy with his wife Michelle is 36 votes ahead of the two-term incumbent, 152,981-152,945, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. Both candidates are at 50 percent.

Tran trails in the Orange County portion of the district, 138,320 to 134,168, 50.8 percent to 49.2 percent, but leads in the Los Angeles County portion—Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens, and a portion of Lakewood—18,813 to 14,625, 56.3 percent to 43.7 percent.

Only previously unprocessed ballots in Orange County were counted Saturday.

No counting is scheduled in either Orange County or Los Angeles County Sunday and is set to resume Monday.

Tran trailed by 58 votes entering Saturday’s resumption of counting. He trailed by 11,363 votes Nov. 6, 7,590 Nov. 8, 6,901 Nov. 9, 6,128 last Sunday when only ballots from the Los Angeles County portion of the district were counted, 3,908 Monday, 2,227 Tuesday, 349 Wednesday, and 236 Thursday.