Rouda builds on lead over Rohrabacher in 48th Congressional District race
Democratic challenger Harley Rouda increased his lead to 2,208 votes early Wednesday over incumbent Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Costa Mesa) in the race for the 48th Congressional District seat. As of midnight, Rouda had 86,588 votes, or 50.6%, to Rohrabacher’s 84,380 with 356 of 395 precincts reporting. The contest for the 48th District has been seen by Democrats as their best chance yet to unseat the nearly 30-year incumbent while aiding their attempt to gain control of the U.S. House of Representatives. The 48th runs from Seal Beach to Laguna Niguel and stretches east into parts of Westminster and Garden Grove. It also includes Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Beach. Rouda, a lawyer and real estate businessman from Laguna Beach, qualified for Tuesday’s ballot by edging fellow Democrat Hans Keirstead by 125 votes for second place in the June primary, behind Rohrabacher. In a debate last month, Rohrabacher, first elected in ...