The Associated Press reports:
Democrat Katie Porter has seized a Republican-held U.S. House seat in the heart of Southern California’s Reagan country. Thursday’s vote count update in Orange County gave Porter, a law professor, the upset over Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in the 45th District. Porter has 51 percent and leads by 6,203 votes.
Democrats now have won five GOP seats in California, and Republicans are being threatened in another race that still is too close to call. Porter’s victory is a sign of changing times in Orange County, once known nationally as a GOP stronghold but now increasingly Democratic.
As a member of the California Assembly, Mimi Walters endorsed Prop 8 and voted against the ban on ex-gay torture. In the US House, she voted against protections for LGBT employees of federal contractors. And that’s just a start.
I see a Mimi Walters aye on Hartzler amendment to remove funding for transgender health services. Not unexpected w/ abysmal LGBT record.
— MimiMilkCarton (@ThomasATC1) July 14, 2017
House erupts in chaos after #LGBT vote – & some @CAGOP members switched votes to block #LGBT protection https://t.co/uHRhn7E2Cv @POLITICO
— Carla Marinucci (@cmarinucci) May 19, 2016
THURSDAY UPDATE: Thank you. I can't wait to get to work for Orange County and to stand with you 100% of the time! pic.twitter.com/T7kqcZz2sK
— Katie Porter (@katieporteroc) November 16, 2018
Flip alert: @katieporteroc just flipped one of the most competitive seats in the country blue! RT to congratulate Congresswoman-elect Porter on her win. ? pic.twitter.com/MzOavMRU8l
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) November 16, 2018