CBS News projects that State Assembly Member Vince Fong, a California lawmaker backed by former President Donald Trump, has won a special election to complete the remaining term of former Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy was impeachedwhich runs until January.
Fong — a McCarthy protege who also had the former speaker's endorsement — defeated fellow Republican and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux on Tuesday in the 20th Congressional District in the state's Central Valley farm belt.
With 65% of the votes counted Tuesday evening, Fong led Boudreaux by a margin of 60% to 39%.
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McCarthy resigned last year after being expelled from Parliament. His dramatic fall – he is the only speaker in history to be voted out of office – made for a messy race to succeed him, exposing rivalries within his own party. He has worked behind the scenes to promote Fong's candidacy — a political action committee tied to McCarthy has sent more than $700,000 to the 20th District race to boost Fong's campaign.
The special election only covers the remainder of McCarthy's term. Fong and Boudreaux will resume competing in November for a full two-year term in the district, although the winner of the special election will get the incumbency advantage.
Because of Trump's involvement, the race will be seen as a possible proxy vote on the former president's influence as he heads toward an almost certain contest against President Biden in November.
Trump endorsed Fong in February, calling him “a true Republican.” Boudreaux's supporters include Richard Grenell, a former acting director of national intelligence in the Trump administration, and Republican Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield, Fong's home base.
Republicans hold only 11 of the 52 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With the district once held by McCarthy remaining in Republican hands, Republicans will gain 12 seats in the state delegation and strengthen the party's fragile lead in Congress by a single vote.
Over there are currently 217 Republicans in the House, 213 Democrats and five vacancies. These vacancies include McCarthy's former seat.
Some voters may be confused, as Fong and Boudreaux have already appeared on two House ballots this year: the March 5 statewide primary for the full term of the House, and the March 19 primary for the entire state. in the special elections to fill out McCarthy's term.
The two conservative Republicans and Trump supporters are largely in the same policy arena. Boudreaux has put his decades of law and order experience in the spotlight and vowed to harden the country's porous border. Fong also pledges to “end the chaos” at the border with Mexico, while prioritizing water and energy needs in agricultural areas.
Fong, a onetime McCarthy aide who also has the former speaker's endorsement, entered the race with advantages beyond Trump and McCarthy's support.
Fong received 42% of the vote in the March primary, Boudreaux almost 26%, with the rest divided among other candidates. Fong comes from the most populous part of the county, Kern County, and according to federal data, he outspent the sheriff by about 3-to-1 in campaign money through the end of March.
