The last of four counties posted vote tallies last week in one
of the nation’s closest congressional races, further reinforcing
the victory of Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney, who secured his
third consecutive term as Gilroy and Morgan Hill’s
representative.
The last of four counties posted vote tallies last week in one of the nation’s closest congressional races, further reinforcing the victory of Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney, who secured his third consecutive term as Gilroy and Morgan Hill’s representative.
The 11th Congressional District race between McNerney and his Republican challenger David Harmer was too close call after Election Day. In the weeks that followed, McNerney’s lead widened as thousands of mail-in and provisional ballots were counted.
McNerney declared victory Nov. 10. By Thanksgiving, it was clear he had won re-election, but there were still a couple thousand ballots to count in Contra Costa County.
On Tuesday, that county posted its final total. Together with results from San Joaquin, Alameda and Santa Clara counties, McNerney received 47.91 percent of 240,777 votes cast, while Harmer received 46.81 percent.
McNerney’s lead, which was at 121 votes Nov. 3, had grown to 2,658 votes by Dec. 1 – a lead of 1.1 percent.
Harmer had held a slim lead over McNerney in Contra Costa County in the weeks following the election, but that margin fell away after Tuesday’s update. McNerney also ended up on top in Alameda and Santa Clara counties.
More than half of the district’s voters live in San Joaquin County, where Harmer beat McNerney by a margin of 4,493 votes. But it was not enough to make up for McNerney’s advantage in the other three counties.
Harmer had refused to concede since McNerney declared victory Nov. 10, but last week he issued a concession and he will not seek a recount, though he did say he and his campaign were concerned with “some aspects” of the voting and counting process, according to the Lodi News-Sentinel.
Anyone can request a recount, but that prospect can be expensive and unlikely to change the result, according to elections officials.
