Dems pull ahead in two uncalled races

Reps. Ami Bera (D-Calif.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) have opened up small leads, as votes continue to be counted in their House races, the first time either has led since Election Day.

{mosads}Bera now has a 711-vote lead over former Rep. Doug Ose (R-Calif.) in one of the most hotly contested races in the country, erasing a narrow lead Ose had held for much of the past week. There are 19,000 votes left to be counted in Sacramento County, though not all are in the district.

Costa, who was expected to easily win reelection, now has an 86-vote lead over Republican Johnny Tacherra with more than 12,000 votes left to be counted in the region, many of those in the district. Tacherra had held a slight lead since Election Day.

Both races will have new vote totals roll on Friday, though they’re unlikely to be fully counted until next week, as California counties continue their notoriously slow vote tabulation process.

The races are two of three across the nation that have yet to be called. Rep. Ron Barber (D-Ariz.) trails former Air Force pilot Martha McSally (R) by fewer than 200 votes in a race that’s going to a recount.