GOP Rep. Devin Nunes, a staunch defender of President Donald Trump, defeated challenger Democrat Andrew Janz in California's Republican-leaning 22nd Congressional District, according to NBC News.

Nunes, currently chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, became a political lightning rod after authoring the once-secret memo alleging government surveillance abuses by the FBI and Justice Department during the 2016 election. He will lose that seat, as Democrats are projected to win the majority in the chamber. Ranking Democrat Adam Schiff is expected to be the next chairman of the panel.

Read more: One of Trump's biggest critics on the Russia probe is poised to take over a crucial House panel

Nunes, an eight-term incumbent, received about half of his campaign money from out-of-state donors and more than $1 million from corporate donors, according to OpenSecrets.org.

The 22nd District — where Republicans have a 10 percentage point advantage in voter registration — is spread across Fresno and Tulare counties in the San Joaquin Valley, an agricultural region facing a return of drought conditions. Water has been a hot-button issue in the district, and Janz's campaign aired ads claiming Nunes left the farm region "high and dry" by pushing legislation that favored corporate mega-donors over people.

Meantime, NBC News also reported California's 23rd Congressional District GOP Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House majority leader, won re-election Tuesday after defeating Democratic challenger Tatiana Matta, a school board member. The district includes portions of the southern San Joaquin Valley, including Kern and Tulare counties, as well as parts of northeastern Los Angeles County.

McCarthy is another of Trump's strongest allies on Capitol Hill.