Election 2018: Gil Cisneros widens lead in 39th Congressional race; Democrats on verge of flipping all Orange County House seats to blue

Democrat Gil Cisneros increased his lead over Republican Young Kim Friday night in the race for the 39th Congressional District.

The latest vote tally, which gives Cisneros a 3,020-vote lead over Kim, signals that Orange County voters are on the verge of flipping all their House seats blue.

Cisneros, a Navy veteran and lottery winner, trailed Kim on election night by 3,900 votes. But Kim — long-time aid to retiring GOP Rep. Ed Royce — has captured only about 45 percent of the votes counted after Nov. 6, reflecting the fact that Democrats tend to vote later than Republicans. Democrats now lead in every Orange County House race.

National Democrats targeted four GOP-held House seats in Orange County this election. The Associated Press has called three of those contests, projecting wins for Laguna Beach businessman Harley Rouda in the 48th, UC Irvine law professor Katie Porter in the 45th, and San Juan Capistrano environmental attorney Mike Levin in the 49th.

The 39th District spans portions of Orange, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties.