Updated on Wednesday at 10:58 a.m. 

Rep. John Duarte announced his concession after a hard-fought race against Congressman-elect Adam Gray. Duarte expressed pride in securing millions for Valley projects, including clean water and flood safety.

Reflecting on his term, Duarte thanked constituents for their support and shared memories of community events and personal connections. “Your stories have touched me, inspired my service, and will stay with me as I return to my full-time job as a father and a farmer,” he said.

Duarte assured a smooth transition for government casework and pledged ongoing advocacy for the Valley’s future, despite returning to his roles as a father and farmer.

Updated on Wednesday at 6:40 a.m. 

AP reported late Tuesday night that Duarte called Gray to concede the race.

Original Story

Democrat Adam Gray declared victory over incumbent Rep. John Duarte in California’s 13th Congressional District early Tuesday evening.

“I’m honored to become the Congressman-elect for California’s 13th Congressional District,” Gray said in a statement. “The final results confirm this district is ready for independent and accountable leadership that always puts the Valley’s people ahead of partisan politics.”

Gray vowed to prioritize key issues for the district, including clean water, education, infrastructure, and job creation. “You can count on me to build bipartisan relationships to accomplish these goals,” he added, expressing gratitude to his supporters and campaign team.

As of the latest update, Gray leads Duarte by 187 votes, with 105,554 votes to Duarte’s 105,367.

GV Wire left a message seeking comment with the voicemail of a Duarte campaign staff member, but it was not returned before the publication of this story.

Duarte won the seat two years ago over Gray in a similar down-to-the-wire, close-as-a-whisker race.

DCCC Chair Congratulates Gray

“Congratulations to Adam Gray – a no-nonsense Valley problem solver who’s ready to bring his track record of service and bipartisanship to the halls of Congress,” Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene said in a news release.

“Adam is a native son of the Valley – born and raised in Merced – so he understands firsthand the issues that families in his district care about most. The DCCC is proud to have played a role in flipping this seat, and we’re excited to welcome Adam to Congress to fight the good fight for his constituents and their needs.”

Congressional Makeup

If Gray’s lead holds up in the nation’s final undecided congressional race, it will give the Democrats 215 seats in the House of Representatives compared to 220 for the ruling Republicans.

The five counties in the district are Fresno, Madera, Merced, Stanislaus and San Joaquin. They have until Thursday to certify their elections. California must certify its election by Dec. 13.

About the Race

Duarte was often listed among the most vulnerable House Republicans this year in light of his narrow 2022 victory in a district with a Democratic tilt — about 11 points over registered Republicans.

Gray said in a statement: “We always knew that this race would be as close as they come, and we’re expecting a photo finish this year, too.”

Duarte told the Turlock Journal he had called Gray to concede, adding “That’s how it goes.”

“I’m a citizen legislator, and I didn’t plan on being in Congress forever,” Duarte told the newspaper, though he didn’t rule out a future campaign.

In a tough year for Democrats nationally, the party picked up three GOP-held House seats in California.

Candidates Told Voters They Were Bipartisan

Both Gray and Duarte stressed bipartisan credentials during the campaign.

Gray, a former state legislator, was critical of state water management and put water and agriculture at the top of his issues list. He also said he wants improvements in infrastructure, renewable energy and education.

Duarte, a businessman and major grape and almond farmer, said his priorities included curbing inflation, crime rates and obtaining adequate water supplies for farmers in the drought-prone state.

There is a large Latino population in the district, similar to other Central Valley seats, but the most likely voters statewide tend to be white, older, more affluent homeowners. Working-class voters, including many Latinos, are less consistent in getting to the polls.

(Associated Press contributed to this story.)