Cox win near, wrapping up Dems’ rout of shifting areas

More than three weeks after the Nov. 6 election, Democrat T.J. Cox declared victory Wednesday in his long-shot challenge of GOP Rep. David Valadao of Hanford (Kings County).

If Cox’s lead holds up, Democrats will have flipped all seven House districts in California that were held by Republicans going into the election but where Hillary Clinton outpolled Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential vote.

“I am elated to announce that we have won the election for California’s 21st Congressional District,” Cox, an agriculture businessman, said in an email.

Down by more than 6,000 votes, 54 to 46 percent, on the morning after the election, Cox steadily chopped into that lead as thousands of late Democratic votes were tallied. He edged past Valadao on Monday and has increased

his slim lead since.

On Wednesday afternoon, he led Valadao by 506 votes, 50.2 to 49.8 percent.

While votes remain to counted, the GOP stronghold of Kings County has completed its tally. The only votes outstanding come from the Kern County part of the district, where Cox has had overwhelming support, and from Fresno County, where the votes have split almost evenly between the two candidates.

The 21st District is the last uncalled House race in the country. If Cox holds his lead, Democrats will have 40 new House seats, well over the 23 they needed to take control from the Republicans. The breakdown is likely to be 235 Democratic seats to 200 for Republicans.