Incumbent Rep. Darrell Issa has won his ninth term in the House of Representatives after fending off a challenge from Democrat Doug Applegate in the closest race of his political career.

Issa, a Vista Republican, leads with 50.4 percent of the vote to Applegate’s 49.6 percent, a margin of 2,348 votes as of Monday night, according to the California Secretary of State’s website.

Issa, in a statement, said he looks forward to another term to represent his constituents and the nation at large.

“I am eager to continue working to advance the best interests of the American people and restoring the focus of Washington where it belongs: Economic prosperity, national security and government accountability. With our newly unified government, we have the opportunity to lead the country in a new and better direction,” he said.


Applegate’s spokesman said the campaign is proud of the race it ran and that the candidate raised important issues during the election. A more lengthy statement is planned to be released today.

“We ran a great race and we are really proud of the effort we put together,” campaign manager Robert Dempsey said.

Doug Applegate running candidate for the 49th Congressional District arrived at Golden Hall after polls closed on Nov. 8. (Nelvin C. Cepeda / San Diego Union-Tribune )

While ballots are still being processed, the current gap between the candidates appears greater than the number of uncounted votes, shoring up a victory for Issa barring any sort of unexpected and unusual development.


Orange County Registrar of Voters Neal Kelley said Monday afternoon they finished counting all but a small number of damaged ballots and ballots without a second page. San Diego County officials also said Monday afternoon that fewer than 1,000 votes were left to count in that portion of the 49th Congressional District, which spans both counties.

The contest was one of the most watched in the country and put Issa, a congressman who built a reputation among Republicans as an unblinking watchdog when he led the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, against Applegate, a retired Marine colonel making his first foray into politics.

Heads turned after Applegate, now a trial lawyer, received 45.5 percent of votes in the June primary, an unexpected finish that put him within striking distance of Issa, who received 50.8 percent. Far-left candidate Ryan Wingo received 3.7 percent.

Applegate’s performance in June changed his and Issa’s campaigns. Applegate went from listing his personal phone number on his campaign website to bringing in a team of full-time consultants onto his staff. He was supported by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee as well as House Majority, a large political action committee that backs liberal candidates. During a fundraising sweep through La Jolla, President Barack Obama lampooned Issa for calling his administration corrupt and then using his picture in a campaign mailer to show Issa in a bipartisan light. The president later officially endorsed Applegate.


Issa, whose brush with political death came after cruising to re-election in years prior, likewise changed strategies to give more careful attention to his district. He ran a more typical campaign, complete with yard signs, town hall-style events, and a tour bus. He proposed legislation in direct response to complaints about so-called “sober living homes” in his district.

The candidates didn’t focus on policy as much as they concentrated on slinging mud. Issa attacked his opponent over two temporary restraining orders obtained by Applegate’s ex-wife against her estranged husband. Applegate took efforts to link Issa, among the wealthiest members of Congress, to Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. In particular, an Appplegate ad focused on the video that surfaced of Trump boasting that his fame let him get away with sexually assaulting women.

Issa was an early backer of Trump’s successful campaign, and called him an “obvious choice” for president.

The National Republican Congressional Committee congratulated Issa on his re-election.


“Darrell has been a proven leader in Congress, spearheading the charge to balance the federal budget and promote transparency throughout our government,” committee Chairman Greg Walden said in a statement. He also said the incumbent has done important work on the House Oversight Committee and creating jobs.

As of Oct. 19, Applegate raised $1.26 million while Issa had received $1.03 million.

Applegate performed well in the San Diego County portion of the district, an area that includes 75 percent of District 49 voters. He received 53.1 percent of the vote there, according to the tally over the weekend. Issa did even better in Orange County where the remaining 25 percent of voters live. There he received 60.5 percent of the electorate.

While the boundaries have changed since he entered Congress 16 years ago, Issa has long enjoyed comfortable Republican majorities in his district. When he was first elected in 2000, Republicans had 52.4 percent, Democrats 27.1, and independents 16.4 percent.


But the GOP, through redistricting and changing demographics, has lost ground in Issa’s district. As of Oct. 24, the last day to register to vote, Democrats represented 31.2 percent of the electorate, while Republicans had 37.8. An additional 25.8 percent did not belong to a political party.

Twitter: @jptstewart

joshua.stewart@sduniontribune.com


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