In a significant victory for the Democratic Party, Adam Gray has been projected to win California’s highly contested 13th Congressional District, defeating incumbent Republican Rep. John Duarte. This closely watched race, a rematch from 2022, concluded with Gray flipping the seat after a month of ballot counting, further narrowing the Republican majority in the House of Representatives.
Gray’s projected win, confirmed by CBS News, marks a crucial pickup for Democrats and resolves the last undecided House race from the recent election cycle. The outcome reduces the GOP’s House margin to 220-215, underscoring the razor-thin balance of power in Washington.
On Tuesday, as the final ballots were tallied in California, Gray released a statement acknowledging his lead over Duarte, who trailed by fewer than 200 votes at that point. “I’m honored to become the Congressman-elect for California’s 13th Congressional District,” Gray stated. He emphasized his commitment to independent leadership, prioritizing the needs of the Central Valley over partisan politics. As of Wednesday morning, Duarte had not yet issued a public statement regarding the race results.
This election was a highly anticipated rematch between Gray and Duarte. In 2022, the race between Adam Gray and John Duarte was similarly decided by a narrow margin, with Duarte ultimately claiming victory by just 564 votes after a protracted vote counting process that lasted nearly a month. The consistent competitiveness of this district highlights its status as a true battleground in California politics.
John Duarte, often described as a moderate Republican, occasionally distinguished himself from the more conservative wing of his party. His voting record, as reflected in the Heritage Foundation’s Action for America scorecard, gave him a lifetime score of 41% on conservative issues, notably lower than the average House GOP member’s score of 73%.
Adam Gray, a native of Merced, brings a decade of experience representing Merced and Stanislaus counties in California’s 21st Assembly District (2012-2022). Like Duarte, Gray also identifies as a moderate, having previously described himself as the “most moderate Democrat in California”. His campaign platform prioritized key issues for the region, notably water and agriculture. Gray’s endorsements reflected a broad coalition, including groups such as the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, Equality California, and numerous labor organizations.
California’s 13th Congressional District encompasses a vast area of the southern San Joaquin Valley, including portions of Fresno, Merced, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus counties. The district’s demographics and economic drivers make it a closely contested region, often reflecting the broader political divides within California. President Joe Biden carried the district in the 2020 presidential election, further illustrating its swing district characteristics.
The outcome of the Adam Gray vs. John Duarte race underscores the intense political competition in California’s Central Valley and the critical importance of every congressional seat in the current political landscape. Gray’s victory represents a significant gain for Democrats as they seek to expand their influence and navigate a narrowly divided House of Representatives.
