California special election for Kevin McCarthy’s old House seat heads to runoff race

A further special general election will be held in California in May after no candidate secured enough votes to take former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s congressional seat.

Republican Vince Fong, a California state assemblyman and former aide to MrMcCarthy, advanced to the runoff race for the 20th congressional district seat on Tuesday night, according to The Associated Press.

As of 3am ET on Wednesday morning, it was unclear which other candidate will join him in May.

Mr Fong has secured 40.8 per cent of the vote with 84 per cent of votes counted.

County sheriff Mike Boudreaux, his most competitive challenger, is second with 26.2 per cent, followed by Marisa Wood with 23.1 per cent and Kyle Kirkland with 5.2 per cent.

Since no candidate has received more than 50 per cent of the vote, the top two placers – regardless of party – now go on to another special election 21 May.

The result came as somewhat of a surprise considering Mr Fong’s pickup of both his former boss’s endorsement and the support of former president Donald Trump.

Mr McCarthy is known to be active in House races around the country following his unceremonious ousting from the speakership and later resignation from the chamber — in particular, he is reported to be working against the so-called “Gaetz Eight” who, with the help of support from a unified Democratic caucus, successfully led a motion to vacate against his leadership last fall.

Mr Boudreaux, who currently serves as sheriff of Tulare County, had a number of endorsements from local Republican officials and organisations.

Since no candidate received more than 50 per cent of the vote to claim Mr McCarthy’s seat, the top two now advance to another special election 21 May

But he managed to push through