Jeff Denham on Tuesday night became the third and latest Republican U.S. Representative from California to meet defeat in 2018.
The Associated Press called the race for Democratic opponent Josh Harder after his lead over four-termer Denham hit 4,900 votes in the 10th District, which covers Central Valley.
Political newcomer Harder, 32, a former venture capitalist, had trailed Denham on election night, but absentee ballots put him ahead by 3,700 votes over the weekend.
"We're hoping for the best for Jeff, but the race is trending away from us," former Rep. George Radanovich, R-Calif., Denham's predecessor, told Newsmax on Saturday evening.
Counting continued for another two days in Stanislaus and San Joaquin Counties and Harder's lead kept growing.
Aside from Denham, the other two Republican House Members to lose re-election are Reps. Steve Knight (Los Angeles County) and Dana Rohrabacher (Orange County).
Left to be decided by absentee and provisional ballots are the 39th District (held by retiring Republican Rep. Ed Royce) and the 45th (held by Rep. Mimi Walters), both in Orange County.
John Gizzi is chief political columnist and White House correspondent for Newsmax. For more of his reports, Go Here Now.