Gonzales-Torres unseats California House incumbent
The Highland Park resident defeated Rep. Jimmy Gomez in the 34th District, a result driven by progressive support and allegations of misconduct.
By Aiko Petrov ·
Angela Gonzales-Torres defeated U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez on Wednesday in the race for California's 34th Congressional District. The Associated Press called the contest for the newcomer, who led the incumbent 59% to 41% in the afternoon tally.
The district covers downtown Los Angeles, Koreatown, Boyle Heights, and Eagle Rock. In the June primary, Gonzales-Torres trailed Gomez by 15 percentage points. She now enters Congress after a campaign that focused on accountability and progressive policy goals.
Both candidates ran as Democrats and shared priorities such as the Green New Deal, affordable housing, and Medicare for All. Gonzales-Torres attacked Gomez over his funding sources, citing donations from the tech industry and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Her campaign website states she plans to abolish super PACs to reduce money's influence in politics.
Gomez, who has held the seat since 2017, conceded the race via email. He cited achievements such as expanding paid family leave and negotiating labor protections. "Serving Los Angeles has been a privilege," Gomez wrote. "Titles come and go, but the people and the values we fight for endure."
Gonzales-Torres, a resident of Highland Park, emphasized her local background. She served as president of the Highland Park Neighborhood Council and on Metro’s Public Safety Advisory Committee. Her endorsement list included the Democratic Socialists of America, U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna, state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, and L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia. She stated she looks forward to abolishing ICE and holding the Trump administration accountable.
Allegations of misconduct played a central role in the election dynamics. Gomez served as a co-chair for the campaign of former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell, who faces sexual assault and misconduct allegations. Gomez resigned from that role in April after the accusations became public. He later urged Swalwell to drop his gubernatorial bid.
In August, the House Ethics Committee announced an investigation into Gomez regarding sexual misconduct and assault allegations. Gomez has denied the claims. A USC poll in October found that voters were most concerned about these ethical and misconduct allegations. Gomez also secured endorsements from U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the California Democratic Party, and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff.
The L.A. County registrar of voters is expected to provide daily vote counts at least once daily, typically around 5 p.m., through Nov. 13. Additional updates are scheduled for Nov. 17, 19, 25, and 27. The office plans to certify the election results by Friday, Nov. 27. The California Secretary of State is scheduled to certify statewide results on Dec. 11.
