Democrat Harley Rouda will challenge GOP Rep. Dana Rohrabacher in California’s 48th Congressional District in November after his opponent Hans Keirstead conceded the second-place spot in the June 5 primary.
Rouda and Keirstead, also a Democrat, had been locked in a nasty battle for the chance to take on 15-term incumbent Rohrabacher. Keirstead maintained a razor-thin lead as the votes were counted in the days after the election. But last week, Rouda, who is a real estate investor, overtook him and at last count was leading by 126 votes.
In a statement, Keirstead, a stem cell researcher, congratulated Rouda and pledged to “work in unison…to make sure Democrats and science prevail in November.”
Democrats consider Rohrabacher’s coastal Orange County seat a key pick-up opportunity in a crucial state as they seek to take back control of the House. He is considered one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the country, having received just 30% of the vote in the primary.
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