Republican Steven Choi Beats Incumbent Democrat Josh Newman in OC’s State Senate Race

Republicans picked up a California Senate spot this week aft Democratic Sen. Josh Newman conceded the contention to Republican challenger Steven Cho successful a territory wherever Democrats person an borderline successful elector registration.  

“With the astir caller ballot updates, the numbers person made it wide that my run nary longer has a viable way to a affirmative result successful this election,” reads a Monday statement from Newman. 

Choi – a erstwhile Irvine mayor – noted the likelihood successful a Tuesday station connected X, formerly known arsenic Twitter. 

“Despite the likelihood and uncertainties, the radical of the 37th District person spoken astir the aboriginal they privation to spot for California,” reads Choi’s statement. 

The territory is location to 621,000 registered voters – 36% of which are Democrats, 33% are Republicans and 24% are registered arsenic nary enactment preference, according to information from the OC Registrar of Voters. 

It comes arsenic some governmental parties clasp onto their respective seats successful Orange County’s authorities Assembly delegation arsenic each incumbents are connected way to triumph reelection, according to results from the California Secretary of State. 

Politico reported that a University of California nationalist worker national heavy spent against Newman starring up to Election Day – dropping astir $700,000 successful a week against him successful October – aft the outgoing legislator refused to motion a measure that would’ve strengthened UC employees’ rights. 

The 37th Senate District is besides a marque caller territory for some Choi and Newman aft having been redrawn successful the 2020 redistricting process. 

The district’s boundaries agelong done Irvine, Newport Beach, Fullerton, Costa Mesa, Lake Forest, Aliso Viejo and Laguna Niguel – on with pieces of Anaheim and Orange. 

Meanwhile, different Orange County predetermination upset could hap successful the 45th Congressional District, wherever Democratic challenger Derek Tran has seen his constrictive pb regularly expanding implicit Republican Congresswoman Michelle Steel since past Saturday. 

[Read: All Eyes Are connected Orange County’s Dead Heat Race successful 45th Congressional District ]

Spencer Custodio is the civic editor. You tin scope him astatine scustodio@voiceofoc.org. Follow him connected Twitter @SpencerCustodio.

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