Gray Stuns Duarte in Nail-Biting Congressional Battle – Rematch Victory Secured
The race, marked by intense campaigning and close margins, was closely watched as one of the final unresolved contests in the nation, underscoring the political significance of California’s Central Valley. Gray’s announcement reflects a pivotal shift in the district, signaling changing voter dynamics in this traditionally contested region.
On Tuesday, former California Assemblymember Adam Gray, a Democrat representing Merced, officially declared victory in a fiercely competitive race for the U.S. House of Representatives. Gray’s win came after a tight battle against Republican incumbent John Duarte, who represents Modesto. The race, marked by intense campaigning and close margins, was closely watched as one of the final unresolved contests in the nation, underscoring the political significance of California’s Central Valley. Gray’s announcement reflects a pivotal shift in the district, signaling changing voter dynamics in this traditionally contested region.
“Thank you, #CA13! Let’s get to work,” Adam Gray tweeted on Tuesday as he declared victory in the tight race. According to the latest unofficial results, Gray holds a narrow 187-vote lead over John Duarte. Despite Gray’s announcement, the Associated Press has yet to officially call the race, which is the final congressional contest in the nation to be decided.
Adam Gray, along with the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, declared the race for California’s 13th congressional district officially over.
“The final results confirm that this district is ready for independent and accountable leadership that prioritizes the people of the valley over partisan politics,” Gray posted on X. Meanwhile, John Duarte’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment by the deadline, and the congressman has yet to concede the race.
A victory for Adam Gray would further narrow the already slim Republican majority in the House, giving a small group of dissenting members significant power over legislation. In the upcoming session, Republicans are set to hold 220 seats, while Democrats will have 215.
However, with two Republican representatives nominated for administration roles by President-elect Donald Trump and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., stepping down, the balance could temporarily shift to 217 Republicans and 215 Democrats. Since tied votes result in stalled legislation, this slim margin would allow any single member to wield considerable influence during this period, which could last weeks or even months.
Election experts had considered the 2024 rematch between John Duarte, a farmer-turned-congressman, and Adam Gray to be highly competitive, with either candidate having a strong chance of winning.
The 2022 race between John Duarte and Adam Gray was one of the closest in the nation, contributing to the narrow Republican majority in the House that year. Duarte was declared the winner weeks after Election Day, edging out Gray by just 0.4 percentage points.
Adam Gray, 47, represented Merced in the California State Assembly for a decade before stepping down in 2022 to run for Congress. John Duarte, 58, currently serves on House committees focused on agriculture, natural resources, and transportation and infrastructure.
California’s 13th congressional district encompasses all of Merced County and parts of Madera, Stanislaus, Fresno, and San Joaquin counties. It is a Latino-majority district with a significant youth population. However, historically low voter turnout in the area has allowed older, white, and more conservative voters to have a larger impact on elections. Turnout tends to increase during presidential general elections.
California’s 13th district is one of more than a dozen GOP-held congressional districts nationwide where President Joe Biden would have defeated former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, based on the current legislative boundaries established after the 2020 census. Under these new lines, voters in the district would have favored Biden by an 11-point margin.
However, preliminary results from the 2024 election show Trump leading Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, in Merced County, with 50.8% of the vote compared to Harris’s 46.6%, according to the California Secretary of State.
Trump also won Madera County by 21 points, Stanislaus by 11 points, Fresno by 4.5 points, and San Joaquin by about 1 point. Despite these local results, Harris secured a statewide victory by a 20-point margin.
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