Democrat Tom Umberg, who upset Republican Janet Nguyen for the right to represent State Senate District 34, was sworn in to office Monday, Dec. 3, in Sacramento.

District 34 is mostly in Orange County — and as such, represents yet another elective office there that flipped from red to blue in 2018 — but also includes portions of East Long Beach.

Umberg, a businessman and retired U.S. Army Colonel, eked out a win over incumbent Nguyen, who has ceded the seat after only one term. L.A. and Orange counties certified their results on Friday; those results showed Umberg ahead with 50.6 percent of the vote.

Nguyen was particularly well-known in the Orange County area of the district, which contains a large Vietnamese-American population in Little Saigon. Democrats have a slight voter registration advantage in the district, but it’s a hurdle that early results had signified Nguyen might be able to overcome.

Friday’s results, however, proved she couldn’t beat those odds after all. Although Umberg lost by two votes in the Orange County portion of the district, his win in Long Beach — by more than 3,000 votes — put him over the top.

Nguyen did not respond to a request for comment.

“It is truly an honor and privilege to serve the residents of the 34th Senate District,” Umberg said in a statement. “The issues we face in 2019 and beyond require all of us to work with a common purpose toward a stronger future for all Californians.”

He added, “As state senator, I will always fight to deliver a fair share of resources to our region so that everyone has a chance to own a home, live in a safe neighborhood, have access to quality healthcare and send their children to the best schools possible. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues in both houses to continue strengthening our great state and delivering for all Californians.”