After last-minute alarm, Democratic Rep. Julia Brownley hangs on to Ventura County seat
by RICHARD S. FITZPATRICK Associated Press
Posted Mar. 5, 2018 at 5:26 a.m.Updated Mar 5, 2018 at 7:43 p.m.
A late flurry of mail in support of Democratic Rep. Julia Brownley in a California congressional race came in, giving the longtime congressman a better-than-expected chance at winning his race against Republican challenger Mike Davis.
Brownley, one of the last members of the House from the San Fernando Valley, took a little bit of the credit for those late contributions.
“To be honest with you, I don’t know how to thank all of my friends and family for the support and encouragement that was given to my campaign this quarter,” Brownley said in a video posted Sunday on Instagram. “But I do know this and I’m grateful.”
The late contributions and Brownley’s strong fundraising and organization helped her outlast her Republican opponent in the race to succeed retiring Democrat Henry Waxman.
Brownley, 66, emerged in the final weeks of the campaign as the only candidate with a chance of beating Davis, 70, in the nation’s most populous county on Tuesday.
The two went head-to-head in a May 26 televised debate. Davis criticized Brownley’s voting record and questioned her judgment. He also criticized Brownley’s support for President Donald Trump, citing her vote in favor of the Republican tax-cut bill last year. He also highlighted her previous support of Trump when she voted in favor of gun-control legislation.
Brownley, an ex-Marine who earned the second highest rating from the Congressional Veterans Affairs Committee, focused on her voting history and campaign record. While running a successful restaurant and health club franchise in the San Fernando Valley, Brownley also chaired the U.S. Marine Corps Ball, the ball used by the Marine Corps-sponsored Congressional Ball at the U.S. Capitol.
She told supporters to “keep hope alive” and that she would continue to “be an advocate for the people