Democratic former Assemblyman Tom Umberg declared victory Wednesday in his bid to unseat Sen. Janet Nguyen, R- Garden Grove.
Umberg has been slowly extending his narrow lead over Nguyen as vote-counting continued from the Nov. 6 election. As of Monday, he had a lead of 2,523 votes.
But Umberg said the latest numbers now show him with a 2,802-vote edge, continuing an upward trend that his campaign says is unlikely to reverse.
"I am proud to announce that our campaign for state Senate will be victorious once the final tally of votes is completed," Umberg said in a statement. "I am grateful to the countless supporters and volunteers who worked tirelessly to help us get across the finish line. We truly could not have achieved this victory without their hard work and support."
Nguyen, who has represented the district for four years, has not yet conceded defeat. The district is largely in Orange County, covering cities such as Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Seal Beach, but it also stretches into the Long Beach area in Los Angeles County.
On election night, Umberg trailed Nguyen by 7 percent, or nearly 11,000 votes, but he steadily closed the gap and took the lead as vote-counting continued.
Umberg, a former federal prosecutor and Army veteran, served in the Assembly from 1990-94 and 2004-06.
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"I am honored and humbled by the trust put in me by the voters of the 34th Senate District to represent them in the state Senate," Umberg said.
"I'm looking forward to getting to work and delivering for our community."
