Democrat Dave Min defeats Scott Baugh in critical California House race

Democrat Dave Min has defeated Republican Scott Baugh in the race for a congressional seat in Orange County, California, NBC News projects.

"I know many of us are anxious about the future of our country, but we cannot give up on America," Min wrote on X after declaring victory Tuesday night. "In Congress, I will fight to protect our democracy, safeguard our freedoms, and expand economic opportunity."

The results come after a contentious election cycle in a swing district with rapidly shifting demographics. Once a Republican stronghold, the district has been flipping between the parties for the past decade. The number of registered Democrats is nearly identical to the number of registered Republicans in a district where unaffiliated voters largely decided the race.

Min, a law professor, has championed issues of reproductive rights, gun violence and climate action, polling well in areas like Irvine that have a younger population. Meanwhile Baugh, a former member of the state Assembly, has campaigned on border security, the fentanyl crisis and crime, generally performing well in areas with an older electorate.

The district’s evolving politics have been driven in part by its rapidly changing racial makeup. Asian Americans in particular have emerged as a critical part of the electorate, now making up about a quarter of the district’s population as its largest minority group. Both candidates have been courting the group. But Min previously told NBC News that his advocacy for the community makes him well-positioned to represent it.

“We don’t have much representation in the halls of political power,” Min said. “Those of us who are Asian American end up representing not just our own districts but Asian Americans across the entire region, maybe across the entire U.S.”

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com