Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) (left) and Jay Chen (right)
Republicans won California’s 45th District, which is in Orange County.
The Associated Press announced the contest was on Nov. 14, but official results will take longer.
“I am honored that voters have given me the opportunity to continue fighting for them in Washington, D.C.,” Rep. Michelle Steel said in a statement.
Steel, a Korean immigrant, defeated Democrat Jay Chen, a Navy reservist and the son of Taiwanese immigrants, to a second term in Congress.
Candidates initially cited inflation and hate crimes against Asian Americans as their key issues. But the contest took an ugly turn, much of which focused on finger pointing and finger-pointing.
Chen’s ad portrayed Steele as an extremist threatening abortion rights, while Republicans accused Chen of being “racist” after he told supporters they needed a “translator” to understand Steele’s remarks, arguing that Chen was Laugh at her English accent. Chen said he was referring to the “incomprehensible talking points” that Steel used to dodge questions.
Steele also distributed leaflets portraying Chen as a sympathizer of communism, while Chen said his grandmother fled China to escape communist rule.
