California’s contentious Silicon Valley race has once again yielded a familiar face as incumbent Mike Honda claimed victory over his fellow Democrat, tech-backed rival Ro Khanna, in California’s 17th congressional district.
Despite being slammed with ethics claims, a poor attendance record, and the passage of just one bill in the past 14 years, Honda received the support of the Democratic establishment in California as well as President Barack Obama’s endorsement.
Khanna had the backing of Silicon Valley heavyweights, but his campaign ultimately could not hold up against Honda’s loyal base. Khanna had been seeking to mobilize a victory with the help of Republican votes and said he would have championed a bipartisan approach if elected to office, unlike Honda.
Honda defeated Khanna by 5 points, 52.2% to 47.8%, with 100% of percents reporting.