Early Election Results Show Levin with Double-Digit Percentage Lead in Congressional Rematch

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By C. Jayden Smith

In the follow-up of the 2020 battle to represent California’s 49th Congressional District in the House of Representatives, incumbent Democrat Mike Levin appears poised to hold on to the seat as the initial election results are counted.

As of late Tuesday night, Nov. 8, Levin received 56.5% (80,268) of the votes, holding a 13% lead over Republican challenger Brian Maryott, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

Levin’s lead is even greater in San Diego County’s portion of the district, where he’s earned 58.7% (54,332) of voters. As for the Orange County side of the district, Levin led by a smaller margin of 4.6 percentage points by earning 52.3% (25,924) of the votes.

The 49th District includes the cities of Carlsbad, Dana Point, Encinitas, Laguna Niguel, Oceanside, San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, and Vista, among other locations in South Orange County and North San Diego County.

Levin, who has held office for back-to-back two-year terms, has expressed support for women’s reproductive rights, such as the ability to choose to have an abortion, keeping taxpayer dollars away from private schools, and supporting law enforcement.

Maryott, a former San Juan Capistrano councilmember and longtime businessman, has expressed support for school choice, fully funding police officers and strict sentencing of lawbreakers, and securing the border by funding border enforcement.

In an emailed statement late Tuesday night, Maryott’s camp maintained that voters were ready to move on from Levin as their representative. 

“We are certainly optimistic and this is exactly what we expected to see,” the spokesperson wrote, adding, “It may take a few days, but when the dust settles, we expect that the voters of (the 49th District) will send a financial planner to Congress.”

In the Primary Election held this past June, Levin carried the district race, earning 92,211 votes, or 48.9% with Maryott leading a contested vote for Republicans by receiving 35,805, or 19% of all voters.

According to the OC Registrar of Voters, 42.6% of Orange County voters chose Levin during the Primary, while Maryott narrowly beat out Fifth District Supervisor Lisa Bartlett by three votes to earn a spot on the General Election ballot.

Levin’s campaign could not be reached for comment as of this posting.

Election results will be updated through out the canvass period, according to the Secretary of State’s website, and county elections officials must report their final results by Dec. 9. Next, the Secretary of State will put together the results to certify by Dec. 16.

This is a developing story.

C. Jayden Smith

C. Jayden Smith graduated from Dana Hills High in 2018 before pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in digital and broadcast journalism from the University of North Texas. After graduating in December 2020, he reported for the Salina Journal in Salina, Kansas. Jayden loves college football and bothering his black lab named Shadow.

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