California wins leave GOP poised to seize US House control
By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
AP Political Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two threatened U.S. House Republicans in California have triumphed over Democratic challengers, helping move the GOP within a seat of seizing control of the chamber. Meanwhile, a string of congressional races in the state remain in play. In a bitter fight southeast of Los Angeles, Republican Rep. Michelle Steel defeated Democrat Jay Chen in a district that was specifically drawn to give Asian Americans a stronger voice on Capitol Hill. East of Los Angeles, Republican Rep. Ken Calvert notched a win over Democrat Will Rollins. It takes 218 seats to control the House. Republicans have locked down 217 seats so far, with Democrats claiming 205.