Voting underway for presidential election in Somalia's breakaway region of Somaliland

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Voting was underway Wednesday in Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland in a key presidential election that was delayed for two years.

Local media showed voters waiting in line to cast their ballots, with many saying they want a stronger economy and more jobs, among other local priorities. More than 1 million people are expected to cast votes at more than 2,000 polling stations, with some 28 international observers spread across the country.

President Muse Bihi Abdi of the ruling Kulmiye Party is seeking a second term after seven years in office, during which he has pushed for Somaliland’s international recognition.

“Our national interest and government will succeed when we peacefully cast our ballots and when we count those ballots peacefully," he said after casting his vote Wednesday.

Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi of the main opposition Waddani Party campaigned on a platform of democratic reforms and social cohesion, while Faisal Ali Warabe of the Justice and Welfare Party advocates for a national unity government.

Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 amid a descent into conflict, has sustained its own government, currency and security structures despite lacking international recognition. Over the years, the region has built a stable political environment, contrasting sharply with Somalia’s ongoing struggles with insecurity.

The Horn of Africa region’s economic struggles were among the reasons cited by the government when it announced a delay in the presidential election in 2022.

Somaliland’s latest agreement with neighboring Ethiopia granting it access to the Indian Ocean in exchange for recognition has caused political tension with Somalia, which accuses Ethiopia of undermining its territorial integrity.

Analyst Mohamed Husein Gaas of the Raad Peace Research Institute says long queues witnessed on Wednesday “reflects a population demanding decisive leadership to address the region’s growing list of challenges.”

This will be Somaliland’s fourth presidential election. The country’s delayed presidential elections raised concerns about the stability and consistency of its electoral process.

A woman displays the Somaliland flag as people queue to cast their votes during the 2024 Somaliland presidential election at a polling station in Hargeisa, Somaliland, Wednesday, Nov. 13,2024. (AP Photo/Abdirahman Aleeli)

Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, center, gets his biometrics registered before casting his vote inside a polling station during the presidential election in Hargeisa, Somaliland, Wednesday, Nov. 13,2024. (AP Photo/Abdirahman Aleeli)

A woman kiss the Somaliland flag as she waits to cast her vote during the 2024 Somaliland presidential election at a polling station in Hargeisa, Somaliland, Wednesday, Nov. 13,2024. (AP Photo/Abdirahman Aleeli)

Women sit down on the floor as they wait to cast their vote during the 2024 Somaliland presidential election, at a polling station in Hargeisa, Somaliland, Wednesday, Nov. 13,2024. (AP Photo/Abdirahman Aleeli)

People display the Somaliland flag as they wait to cast their vote during the 2024 Somaliland presidential election at a polling station in Hargeisa, Somaliland, Wednesday, Nov. 13,2024. (AP Photo/Abdirahman Aleeli)

Presidential candidate Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, center, casts his vote inside a polling station during the presidential election in Hargeisa, Somaliland, Wednesday, Nov. 13,2024. (AP Photo/Abdirahman Aleeli)

Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, center, casts his vote inside a polling station during the presidential election in Hargeisa, Somaliland, Wednesday, Nov. 13,2024. (AP Photo/Abdirahman Aleeli)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Republicans and Democrats awaited the outcome of vote-counting for crucial U.S. House districts in California on Wednesday, as the GOP moved within one win of maintaining control of the chamber next year.

In a rematch from 2022, Rep. Ken Calvert — the longest-serving Republican in the state’s congressional delegation — defeated rival Democrat Will Rollins in the 41st District, which lies east of Los Angeles and was a top target for national Democrats.

In Southern California's Orange County, Democrat Dave Min defeated Republican Scott Baugh in a closely divided swing district, ending Baugh's bid to seize the seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Katie Porter in what was once a conservative stronghold.

The 47th District, southeast of Los Angeles, was a top target for national Republicans looking to protect and possibly expand the their narrow majority.

Calvert, who was backed by President-elect Donald Trump, claimed his 17th term in a district narrowly carried by Trump in 2020.

“This is a hard-fought victory that shows voters want someone who will put results above partisan politics,” Calvert said in a post on the social platform X.

Min, also posting on X, said that in Congress he will “fight to protect our democracy, safeguard our freedoms and expand economic opportunity.”

Baugh said on the same platform that “despite running a strong campaign … that effort is going to come up a little short.”

On Tuesday, Republican Rep. David Valadao’s victory in California’s 22nd District moved Republicans within two wins of retaining the House gavel, with the tally 216-207 in favor of the GOP, as counting continued in a sliver of races across the country.

With Calvert's win, the Republican tally reached 217.

Several races remained in play in California that could determine control of the House.

In the 45th District, anchored in Orange County, Republican Rep. Michelle Steel's lead over Democrat Derek Tran was whittled down to a few hundred votes as counting continued.

California is known as a liberal protectorate — Democrats hold every statewide office, dominate the Legislature and congressional delegation and outnumber registered Republicans by a staggering 2-1 ratio. Still, Republicans retain pockets of political clout in the Southern California suburbs and vast rural stretches, including the Central Valley farm belt.

Orange County was once considered conservative holy ground, where white, suburban homeowners delivered winning margins for Republicans year after year. It was a foundational block in the Reagan revolution. But the county has become more demographically diverse and Democratic over time, like much of the state.

The 47th District, which includes Huntington Beach and other famous surf breaks, has been occupied by Porter, a progressive favorite who in 2022 narrowly defeated Baugh, a former Republican legislator. Porter, known for grilling CEOs during Capitol Hill hearings, stepped aside to run for U.S. Senate, but lost in the primary.

Given the stakes in the closely divided district, the contest was especially rancorous. Min ads called Baugh a “MAGA extremist” who would endanger abortion rights. Baugh said Min’s “extreme liberal views” were out of step with the district.

FILE - Scott Baugh poses outside a polling place after voting in Huntington Beach, Calif., June 5, 2018. (AP Photo/Krysta Fauria, File)

FILE - California state Sen. Dave Min speaks to reporters in Huntington Beach, California, on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia, File)

FILE - Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif., chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)