Robert Brown|Democrat George Whitesides wins election to US House, beating incumbent Mike Garcia

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Democrat George Whitesides, a former NASA chief of staff who had the support of national Democrats, has won a tough race to unseat Republican incumbent Rep. Mike Garcia in California’s 27 Congressional District.

The Associated Press called the race for Whitesides on Tuesday evening. The previous day Garcia conceded, saying he had congratulated Whitesides and would ensure a smooth handoff.

Whitesides said Monday in a statement that he had spoken with Garcia and thanked him for his service to the district and the nation. He said he would fight in Congress for good jobs and lower household costs.

Whitesides, who is also a former CEO of Virgin Galactic, said during the campaign that he would use his business experience to solve problems. He spotlighted Garcia’s opposition to abortion rights, calling him an extremist.

The last Republican congressman anchored in heavily Democratic Los Angeles County, Garcia, a former Navy pilot who flew over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, had displayed a surprising ability to beat the odds in a district with an 11-point Democratic registration edge.

The once-conservative 27th District runs through suburbs and high desert north of Los Angeles. Garcia, a supporter of former President Donald Trump with a conservative voting record, first won election campaigning against California’s liberal-leaning government: “I don’t want my country to turn into what my state has become,” he said at the time.