SACRAMENTO, Calif. _ Republican Rep. Jeff Denham has lost a tight race against Democrat Josh Harder in a heated race for the Central Valley's 10th Congressional District.
The seat was one of seven in California heavily targeted by national Democrats after the election of President Donald Trump. Denham, 51, had previously beaten the odds in a district carried by Hillary Clinton and President Barack Obama in the last two presidential elections.
Harder, 32, an investor and former venture capitalist, spent most of the last decade going to school and working on the East Coast. But he was born and raised in the district and said he decided to take on Denham upon his return to stand up to Trump and protect residents' health care.
For years, Democrats have looked at the district that the three-term Republican congressman represents and seen winnable odds. The region, which takes in all of Stanislaus County and the southern portion of San Joaquin County, has a slightly higher share of registered Democrats than Republicans, and Latinos _ who generally lean Democratic _ make up nearly the same percentage of residents as non-Latino whites. But higher GOP turnout has given Republicans an edge.
Until now, Denham had managed to keep a low national profile, more likely to be known among supporters at home as a fellow farmer committed to water and other agricultural issues. But Trump's presidency thrust new attention on his farming credentials and policy decisions, including his middle-of-the-road approach to immigration.
Harder attacked Denham for supporting the GOP tax bill and voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Denham attempted to cast Harder as a Bay Area outsider with little experience on one of the Central Valley's key issues _ water.
Both oppose Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown's delta tunnels proposal and had pledged to fight a plan by the Democrat-appointed state water board that could reduce the amount of water diverted from Northern California rivers for irrigation.
