Vince Fong is projected to win the California special election for the McCarthy seat, according to CNN.
Fong's win against Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux in the GOP showdown will aid House Republicans in maintaining their slim edge in Congress.
After being dethroned as speaker, McCarthy announced in December that he would vacate his heavily Republican Central Valley seat. He supported Fong, a previous staffer, as his replacement.
Fong will complete the rest of McCarthy's term until January next year. They are poised for another encounter in November, when they rival for a complete two-year term.
March witnessed the initial phase of the election, with all contestants, regardless of party, sharing the same ballot. Fong, with the backing of former President Donald Trump, led in this round ahead of Boudreaux and Democrat Marisa Wood. However, as he did not seize a majority of the votes, the race transitioned to a frontal showdown between the prime finishers.
This month's 20th District contest marked the start of three House special elections for empty Republican seats within the following five weeks.
Subsequently, Ohio's 6th Congressional District will hold a special election on June 11, determining a successor to former Rep. Bill Johnson. He gave up his seat to become the head of Youngstown State University. And on June 25, Colorado's 4th District will be the site of a special election to replace former Rep. Ken Buck, a staunch conservative who occasionally butted heads with his own party. After his resignation announcement in March, Buck told CNN in March that Congress had degenerated into "bickering and nonsense and not really doing the job for the American people."
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Fong's victory in the California special election will likely require collaboration between him and McCarthy for the remainder of McCarthy's term. During the GOP primary, Trump endorsed Fong, indicating potential support from the former president in their upcoming November contest.
Source: edition.cnn.com