Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., on Tuesday admitted, even before California's polls were to open, his 49th Congressional District seat will likely go to Democratic candidate Mike Levin once the votes are counted in the midterm elections.
"Quite frankly, we know the results already, and there will be a Democrat representing La Jolla to Solana Beach for the first time in a number of years," the Republican lawmaker told Fox News' "America's Newsroom."
He added, to a certain extent, one must "write off some of California" for Republicans.
"My district was never in play this cycle and so it was never funded," said Issa, but he predicted "someday, it'll be taken back."
Issa has been in Congress for 18 years, but he said Tuesday the times were changing in his district. He won by less than 1 percent in 2016, with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton carrying the district by 7 points.
The latest polls show Levin ahead of Republican challenger Diane Harkey by 7 points, according to RealClear Politics.
Further, Democratic candidates got most of the votes in California's 49th district in the state's primary elections.
Issa conceded Tuesday, perhaps it was time for someone new in his office.
"If you don't believe in term limits after 18 years, when do you?" he said. "It was time maybe two years, three years, four years earlier, but I've enjoyed what I've done. There comes a point at which you are reauthorizing legislation you passed a decade earlier."
Issa said he is looking forward to his life after Congress, and to President Donald Trump's administration continuing to grow the economy, so it is "a good time to leave, in that sense."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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