Jimmy Gómez will be the next representative from California’s 34th Congressional District, which includes Boyle Heights, El Sereno, Chinatown, Highland Park, and other parts of Los Angeles.
The State Assemblyman won Tuesday’s special election with 60 percent of the vote to defeat opponent Robert Lee Ahn. Only 32,972 ballots were cast, according to a statement from the LA County Registrar, with voter turnout just under 11 percent.
A breakdown by the Los Angeles Times of how each neighborhood voted shows that support from Boyle Heights and other parts of east and northeast LA were essential to Gómez’ victory. In some Boyle Heights precincts, Gómez won as much as 95 percent of votes cast. Ahn was favored in parts of Koreatown and Westlake but it was not enough to overtake Gómez’ lead.
The spot for the congressional seat opened up once former representative Xavier Becerra left the position to become California’s Attorney General. Tuesday’s election was a contest between the top two candidates chosen in an April primary where over 20 people –several with Boyle Heights roots– competed for the spot.
The County Registrar is still counting ballots. An updated figure will come out Friday and the results are expected to be made official on June 20.
