Democratic Rep. Mike Levin’s race against challenger Republican Matt Gunderson tightened considerably as more vote results rolled in early Wednesday in the closely watched race for California’s 49th Congressional District.

Overall, Levin held a small single-digit lead in the district, which straddles two counties. San Diego’s North County voters backed Levin by a wide margin. Orange County voters backed Gunderson by roughly the same wide margin.

“We are confident that when all is said and done we will prevail,” Levin told his supporters at his campaign’s party in Del Mar late Tuesday.

Gunderson’s spokesperson said Tuesday he would issue a statement in the morning after more results have been released.

Elsewhere, in the 51st District, Rep. Sara Jacobs, a Democrat, is fending off a challenge from Republican El Cajon Mayor Bill Wells by a wide margin.

“I’m incredibly honored that the people of the 51st district have put their faith and trust in me for a third term,” she told the Union-Tribune late Tuesday.

Incumbents in the rest of San Diego’s congressional delegation also look to be headed back to Washington, D.C. Early Wednesday, the Associated Press called the races in favor of longtime congressmen Darrell Issa, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas — although it had not called the race for Jacobs.

Issa, a Republican, had a big lead in the 48th District over Democratic challenger Stephen Houlahan, ahead in San Diego County — where most of the district is — as well as Riverside County.

Peters, a Democrat, looks to be headed to a seventh term, with a wide double-digit lead over Republican Peter Bono in the 50th Congressional District.

Paul Freeman, 16, left, greets 49th Congressional District candidate Matt Gunderson during his campaign party at the San Juan Hills Golf Club in San Juan Capistrano on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photos by Karen Tapia)

Vargas’ lead — also up by double digits — is not a surprise. Republican challenger Justin Lee was Vargas’ only opponent in the primary for the 52nd Congressional District, and the six-term Democrat bested him in that race by 30 points.

The tightest local congressional battle is between three-term incumbent Levin and challenger Gunderson, who owns car dealerships in Mission Viejo. It’s a district Democrats need to hold as they try to return to the House majority.

Regarded as a battleground district, the 49th had been in Republican hands for several years until Levin took it in 2018 — but the race has grown more competitive since 2021 redistricting reduced its Democratic tilt.

A poll released last week from SurveyUSA for the Union-Tribune and Channel 10 had Levin with a 13-point lead.

Roughly nine in 10 poll respondents who cited their top issues as either abortion or climate change backed Levin. Among those who said immigration was their most important issue, 73% backed Gunderson. The businessman also led by 16 points with people who said the economy was the biggest concern.

During the campaign, Levin told the Union-Tribune that the region’s top concerns are the cost of living, climate change and border security. He said he supports enshrining Roe v. Wade into federal law and pointed to helping secure $930 million for projects in the district.

Gunderson told the Union-Tribune he was running to “strengthen our economy, secure our border, restore public safety and protect our beautiful Southern California coastline.” He said he believes abortion should be “safe, legal and rare.”