LOS ANGELES (CNS) - The battle for a northern Los Angeles County congressional seat got even tighter today, with just 104 votes separating incumbent Republican Rep. Mike Garcia from his Democratic challenger, Assemblywoman Christy Smith.
According to the Secretary of State's Office, the latest vote tally from the Nov. 3 election shows Garcia with 166,617 votes, compared to Smith's 166,513.
Garcia came into the day with a 219-vote lead, after leading by 159 votes on Thursday. The lead has changed twice since Monday. Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, led by 432 votes entering Monday's count. Smith, D-Santa Clarita, subsequently took a 1,287-vote lead before Garcia took his 159-vote margin.
It was unclear how many ballots from remain to be counted. The 25th Congressional District stretches from the Antelope Valley into Ventura County.
Vote by mail ballots will continue to be accepted through Nov. 20 if they were postmarked by Election Day.
Garcia defeated Smith, 54.86%-45.14%, or 95,667-78,721, in a May 12 special election to fill the final 7 1/2 months of the term of former Rep. Katie Hill, D-Agua Dulce, who resigned following the online release of salacious photos and allegations of an extramarital affair with a staff member. Â
The seat had long been held by Republicans until Hill's 2018 victory over then-Rep. Steve Knight, R-Palmdale.