Vince Fong wins California special election to fill Kevin McCarthy’s seat

California state Assemblyman Vince Fong (R) has won the special election to serve out the remainder of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) term in the House, according to Decision Desk HQ.

Fong defeated Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux (R) in Tuesday’s election, which was a runoff after the pair emerged as the top two contenders in a March contest, neither with more than 50 percent of the vote. 

Though Fong is now set to fill McCarthy’s seat for the rest of the term, he and Boudreaux will go up against each other again to win a full term representing California’s 20th Congressional District this November after they both advanced from a regularly scheduled primary earlier this year. 

McCarthy announced his exit from the lower chamber last year, after a short tenure in the top House role ended with his historic removal from the Speakership. He endorsed Fong to succeed him in the reliably red California district, as did former President Trump.