Orange County Coast: Republican Hold Faces Challenges in Key Local Races
Democrats lead in a state senate contest and threaten to reclaim a Huntington Beach council seat, while incumbents maintain leads in assembly and other council districts.
By Jonathan Ramirez ·
Coastal Orange County voters are shifting in several races where Republicans traditionally secured wide victories. As of 5 p.m. Friday, Democratic candidates hold leads in contested state and municipal contests, signaling a tighter margin for the party in these coastal districts.
In the 36th District California Senate race, Democrat Chris Duncan leads incumbent Republican Senator Tony Strickland by more than 4,000 votes. Duncan has maintained this advantage for three consecutive days, currently holding 50.6 percent of the reported vote.
Republican Gracey Van Der Mark competes in the 72nd Assembly District, a race characterized by narrow leads. The outcome of this state legislative seat remains close, with no clear winner declared as of Friday evening.
Huntington Beach City Council races present mixed results for the GOP. Mayor Casey McKeon and Councilman Pat Burns lead their respective contests by over 1,400 votes each. Councilman Andrew Gruel is also on track to retain his position. These three incumbent Republicans are poised to keep their seats.
Democrats are positioned to take one of the final two council positions. Democrat Ben Davis currently leads Democrat Erin Spivey by 24 votes for the last open seat. This narrow gap leaves Spivey just out of reach as of Friday evening, while Davis appears likely to secure the final spot on the council.
