Democrat Tran Holds Lead Over Steel In District 45 Race

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Democratic challenger Derek Tran holds a 314-vote lead over Republican Rep. Michelle Steel Wednesday after adding 212 votes to his lead in the latest count of previously unprocessed ballots in the 45th Congressional District race.

Tran leads 155,090-154,776, 50.05 percent to 49.94 percent, according to the Secretary of State's Office.

The consumer rights attorney and co-owner of a pharmacy with his wife Michelle trails in the Orange County portion of the district, 140,007-136,120, 50.7 percent-49.3 percent, but leads in the Los Angeles County portion — Artesia, Cerritos, Hawaiian Gardens and a portion of Lakewood — 18,970-14,769, 56.23 percent-43.77 percent.

Tran had led by 102 votes entering Tuesday's resumption of counting. He took his first lead over the two-term incumbent Saturday, moving ahead by 36 votes after trailing by 11,363 Nov. 6, day after the election.

Only previously unprocessed ballots in Orange County were counted Saturday. No ballots were counted Sunday.

Tran trailed by 7,590 votes Nov. 8; 6,901 Nov. 9; 6,128 Nov. 10 when only ballots from the Los Angeles County portion of the district were counted; 3,908 Nov. 11; 2,227 last Tuesday; 349 Wednesday; 236 Thursday; and 58 Friday.

It is not known how many ballots remain to be counted in the race.