LOS ANGELES (AP) — Democrat Adam Gray captured California’s 13th Congressional District on Tuesday, unseating Republican Rep. John Duarte in the final U.S. House contest to be decided this year.
Gray’s win in the farm belt seat that cuts through five counties means Republicans won 220 House seats this election cycle, with Democrats holding 215 seats.
Gray won by a margin of less than 200 votes, with election officials reporting Tuesday all ballots had been counted.
Duarte captured the seat in 2022 when he defeated Gray by one of the closest margins in the country, 564 votes. He was often listed among the most vulnerable House Republicans given that narrow margin of victory in a district with a Democratic tilt — about 11 points over registered Republicans.
Gray said in a statement: “We always knew that this race would be as close as they come, and we’re expecting a photo finish this year, too.”
Duarte told the Turlock Journal he had called Gray to concede, adding “That’s how it goes."
“I’m a citizen legislator, and I didn’t plan on being in Congress forever,” Duarte told the newspaper, though he didn't rule out a possible future campaign.
In a tough year for Democrats nationally, the party picked up three GOP-held House seats in California.
Both Gray and Duarte stressed bipartisan credentials during the campaign.
Gray, a former legislator, was critical of state water management and put water and agriculture at the top of his issues list. He also said he wants improvements in infrastructure, renewable energy and education.
Duarte, a businessman and major grape and almond farmer, said his priorities included curbing inflation, crime rates and obtaining adequate water supplies for farmers in the drought-prone state.
There is a large Latino population in the district, similar to other Central Valley seats, but the most likely voters statewide tend to be white, older, more affluent homeowners. Working-class voters, including many Latinos, are less consistent in getting to the polls.
FILE -Central Valley Assembly members, Democrat Adam Gray, of Merced, center, and Republican Heath Flora of Ripon, right, confer during the Assembly session at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., May 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)
Players must be assigned female at birth or have transitioned to female before going through male puberty to compete in LPGA tournaments or the eight USGA championships for females under new gender policies published Wednesday.
The policies, which begin in 2025, follow more than a year of study involving medicine, science, sport physiology and gender policy law.
The updated policies would rule out eligibility for Hailey Davidson, who missed qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open this year by one shot and came up short in LPGA Q-school.
Davidson, who turned 32 on Tuesday, began hormone treatments when she was in her early 20s in 2015 and in 2021 underwent gender-affirming surgery, which was required under the LPGA's previous gender policy. She had won this year on a Florida mini-tour called NXXT Golf until the circuit announced in March that players had to be assigned female at birth.
“Can't say I didn't see this coming,” Davidson wrote Wednesday on an Instagram story. “Banned from the Epson and the LPGA. All the silence and people wanting to stay ‘neutral’ thanks for absolutely nothing. This happened because of all your silence.”
By making it to the second stage of Q-school, Davidson would have had very limited status on the Epson Tour, the pathway to the LPGA.
The LPGA and USGA say their policies were geared toward being inclusive of gender identities and expression while striving for equity in competition.
The LPGA said its working group of experts advised that the effects of male puberty allowed for competitive advantages in golf compared with players who had not gone through puberty.
“Our policy is reflective of an extensive, science-based and inclusive approach,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan, who announced Monday that she is resigning in January. "The policy represents our continued commitment to ensuring that all feel welcome within our organization, while preserving the fairness and competitive equity of our elite competitions.”
Mike Whan, the former LPGA commissioner and now CEO of the USGA, said it developed the updated policy independently and later discovered it was similar to those used by swimming, track and field, and other sports.
“It starts with competitive fairness as the North star,” Whan said in a telephone interview. “We tried not to get into politics, or state by state or any of that stuff. We just simply said, ‘Where would somebody — at least medically today — where do we believe somebody would have a competitive advantage in the field?’ And we needed to draw a line.
“We needed to be able to walk into any women's event and say with confidence that nobody here has a competitive advantage based on their gender. And this policy delivers that.”
The “Competitive Fairness Gender Policy” for the USGA takes effect for the 2025 championship season that starts with the U.S. Women's Amateur Four-Ball on May 10-14. Qualifying began late this year, though there were no transgender players who took part.
“Will that change in the years to come as medicine changes? Probably,” Whan said. “But I think today this stacks up.”
The LPGA “Gender Policy for Competition Eligibility” would apply to the LPGA Tour, Epson Tour, Ladies European Tour and qualifying for the tours.
Players assigned male at birth must prove they have not experienced any part of puberty beyond the first stage or after age 12, whichever comes first, and then meet limitation standards for testosterone levels.
The LPGA begins its 75th season on Jan. 30 with the Tournament of Champions in Orlando, Florida.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
FILE - LPGA commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan speaks to the gallery after the final round of the LPGA Ford Championship golf tournament Sunday, March 31, 2024, in Gilbert, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
