Marni von Wilpert declares victory in 48th House District

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KESQ) - Democratic San Diego City Councilwoman Marni von Wilpert declared victory over Republican county Supervisor Jim Desmond in the race for the 48th U.S. House District seat.

Von Wilpert had 92,924 votes, or 59.6%, compared with 63,015 votes, or 40.4%, for Desmond, as of 9 a.m. Wednesday. The race still likely has tens of thousands of ballots left to be counted.

"Tonight the voters of this district are sending a clear message -- they're tired of a corrupt Congress and out of control costs and ready for a representative who will fight for them,'' von Wilpert said in a message to supporters late Tuesday. "I've spent the last year hearing from parents struggling to afford groceries and seniors scared of losing healthcare and I will carry their stories with me to Washington.

"I've spent my life fighting for working families -- from defending workers' rights to taking on the powerful corporations ripping our families off -- and I'm ready to take that fight to Congress. I'll fight to bring down the costs crushing the middle class, protect the healthcare our families rely on and clean up the corruption that's stopping Washington from working for the rest of us. That includes holding Donald Trump accountable and reining in his chaos agenda,'' she continued.

While von Wilpert has a sizable lead, Desmond has not conceded.

The winner will replace retiring Rep. Darrell Issa  

The 48th District, spanning portions of San Diego and Riverside counties, was previously represented by Issa, who announced his retirement earlier this year. It has been identified as a key swing district after its lines were redrawn following the passage of Proposition 50.   

Desmond, a San Diego County supervisor, U.S. Navy veteran, former Delta Air Lines pilot and former mayor of San Marcos, is prioritizing border security and addressing affordability issues, according to his campaign website.

Von Wilpert, a former civil prosecutor with the San Diego City Attorney's Office, says on her campaign site that she turned the city's ``most conservative council district blue -- and she's ready to do it again in Congress.''