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Most elections for the U.S. House of Representatives were held on election night or in the days following.
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But the battle between Republican Rep. John Duarte and Democrat Adam Gray remains too close to call.
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The outcome will matter in a House closely divided along party lines.
The Republicans enter 2025 with control of the presidency, the Senate and the House of Representatives.
But an outstanding House race has yet to be called. And its outcome could impact newly elected President Donald Trump’s ability to push his agenda.
In California’s 13th Congressional District – anchored in the agriculturally rich Central Valley – former Democratic State Assemblyman Adam Gray leads incumbent Republican Rep. John Duarte by just 227 votes, with an estimated 99% of votes counted.
Gray has 105,083 votes, compared to 104,856 votes for Duarte, according to the California Secretary of State’s office. The race is a rematch of their 2022 contest, in which Duarte ultimately defeated Gray with 564 votes out of nearly 134,000 votes cast.
The Republicans needed 218 seats to control the Chamber and have already won 219 seats, while the Democrats currently have 214 seats. The chair therefore has no influence on the balance of power. But in the narrowly divided House, margins will matter.
Here’s a look at why it’s taken so long for this race to happen and why its outcome remains significant.
Ballots may arrive after Election Day
While many states do not count ballots received after Election Day, California law allows ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive within seven days of the polls closing.
Due to the number of competitive US House races in California, a state with more than 22 million registered voters, control of the chamber could theoretically rest with the Golden State alone.
Heading into the general election, this was a high probability, especially with Vice President Kamala Harris – a former attorney general of California and US senator – at the top of the list.
The 13th District includes Merced County, much of Madera County and parts of Fresno, San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. So different jurisdictions play a role in counting ballots, and election officials must also examine voters’ signatures and open envelopes.
Gray led when the votes were counted on election night, but Duarte then took the lead and had been in the lead for weeks before Gray regained a razor-thin lead on November 26.
For California voters who need to fix technical errors in their ballots – also called “ballot curing” – the deadline is December 1.
The Republican Party will have to run a tight ship
Should Gray emerge victorious in the race, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana will face a slim 220-215 majority.
That’s before the expected departures of Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, whom Trump has picked as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, and Rep. Michael Waltz of Florida, whom Trump has picked as the next national security adviser. Also, former Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida’s seat will be filled in a special election on April 1.
Johnson does not have much room to maneuver, because Trump expects Republicans to greenlight his agenda.
Efforts to push through heavily conservative legislation while more centrist Republicans may pump the brakes on certain bills will ensure that every vote matters.
So a Gray or Duarte victory could have a significant impact on Washington over the next two years.
Read the original article on Business Insider
