Harley Rouda, Democratic House candidate in California's 48th Congressional District, addresses supporters on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Newport Beach, Calif. | Kyusung Gong/AP Photo Elections Rouda defeats Rohrabacher in Southern California

Democrat Harley Rouda on Saturday claimed victory in the race for California’s 48th Congressional District, unseating 15-term incumbent Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher in one of the most anticipated House contests of the 2018 election cycle.

Rouda’s victory is sure to energize Democrats, who've galvanized to flip several House seats in the traditionally heavily Republican enclave of Orange County in Southern California since 2016.


His win adds further padding to Democrats’ majority in the chamber after the party picked up 30 seats on Election Day, and it brings to a close the nearly three-decade tenure of the pro-Russia representative often referred to by critics as “Putin’s favorite congressman.”

Though ballots are still being counted, Saturday’s tally showed Rouda with 52 percent of the vote and about 8,500 more votes than Rohrabacher, according to the Associated Press.

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Rouda declared the race finished on Twitter early Saturday.

“After careful consideration of the data provided by the fantastic team at the Orange County Registrar, my staff and I are now confident that we have won the Congressional race in California's 48th district,” he wrote online.

“Going forward, my mission is to be the absolute best kind of public servant - honest, transparent, accessible and tireless in serving the greater good,” Rouda added.