ATWATER — Assemblyman Adam Gray (D-Merced) watched election returns roll in Tuesday night from Blaker Brewing at The Tarmac on the site of the former Castle Air Force Base.
Gray, who represents the state’s 21st Assembly District, was locked in a battle with Hughson businessman John Duarte, a Republican, to represent California’s 13th Congressional district.
At press time, Gray led Duarte 52.2 percent to 47.8 percent.
“We’re feeling good,” said Gray, who is vying to represent a large portion of Turlock in Washington. “We started off the night strong and that margin has held with 85 percent of precincts reporting. I look forward to counting the rest of the votes and, hopefully, we come out on top. It looks like we will.”
According to Gray, tabulations might not be completed until early next week.
“Based on my conversations with the registrars in different counties, they’ll still be counting ballots for the next couple of days,” said Gray. “With the Veterans Day holiday coming up, we might not get another update until Monday or Tuesday. But tonight I’m feeling good and I want to thank the voters for their support.”
Rep. Tom McClintock, a Republican representing California’s 4th District in Congress, was routing Democrat Mike Barkley in the race for California’s 5th Congressional District, which incorporates much of Turlock. McClintock led 57.6 percent to 42.4 percent with nearly 83 percent of precincts partially reporting at press time.
In the state legislative races, Republican Juan Alanis, a sergeant with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department, was ahead by a comfortable margin for the 22nd District’s state Assembly seat, leading Democrat Jessica Self by nine percentage points — 54.5 percent to 45.5 percent — with 100 percent of precincts partially reporting at press time.
“There’s still tens and tens of thousands of votes still to be counted,” said Alanis campaign spokesperson Josh Whitfield. “It’s way too early to call, but, obviously, we feel really good with where we’re at tonight.”
In the race for the District 4 state Senate seat between Democrats Tim Robertson and Marie Alvarado Gil, the candidates were separated by less than 2 percentage points with 91 percent of the precincts partially reporting.