Rohrabacher lags in California count

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, a one-time speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan who later became Russia’s leading defender on Capitol Hill, is losing ground as the votes are counted in his race against Democrat Harley Rouda, returns show.

The count as of Saturday night showed Rouda with 52 percent of the vote and about 8,500 more votes than Rohrabacher. Rohrabacher’s campaign said in a statement that tens of thousands of ballots remain uncounted, and the campaign will have a statement once the vote count is complete.

The Associated Press on Saturday night projected Rouda as the winner.

Rouda, 56, is a Republican-turned-Democrat who pilloried the congressman for his skepticism over climate change and depicted him as an out-of-touch abettor in Washington gridlock.

The prospect of Rohrabacher’s ouster from his seat in Orange County has historical and symbolic significance. The county southeast of Los Angeles was home to President Richard Nixon and was long considered a foundational block in the modern conservative movement.

Rohrabacher has long been seen as an unusual figure on Capitol Hill. The one-time Cold Warrior transformed into an outspoken supporter of improved ties with Russia, and his name has come up in the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election. He has denied any wrongdoing.