50th District Election​​: Issa's Lead Grows Over Campa-Najjar

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — Former Rep. Darrell Issa added nearly 4,000 votes to his lead over Democrat Ammar Campa-Najjar Friday in the race for the vacant 50th Congressional District seat.

Issa leads 53.3%-46.7%, 159,864-139,973, according to results released Friday by the Secretary of State's Office.

The candidates are vying to fill the seat vacated by former Rep. Duncan D. Hunter, who resigned amid a corruption scandal and criminal charges related to unlawful spending of campaign funds.

Hunter pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge and was sentenced earlier this year to an 11-month prison term, which he has yet to begin serving.

Campa-Najjar, a 31-year-old former U.S. Department of Labor official who ran against Hunter in 2018, issued a statement Friday morning thanking his supporters regardless of the result.

"No matter how this race ends, I'm incredibly proud of how this campaign left no one out, took no one for granted, and brought this community closer together," his statement read.

"Thank you, for the honor of a lifetime. For giving Latino-Arab American a chance to do something special."

Issa was a Republican House member from 2001-2019, the final 16 years representing the 49th District.

The 50th District covers East and North San Diego County, along with portions of Riverside County.

— City News Service