This story was originally published by The Merced FOCUS.
Nov. 4 update
Democrat incumbent Adam Gray declared victory over his Republican opponent Kevin Lincoln, according to a campaign press release sent out Wednesday morning.
“Valley voters have once again placed their trust in me, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly,” Gray wrote. “Now it’s time to get back to work. There’s plenty to do, and I intend to make the most of the opportunity to continue serving the Valley.”
As of Wednesday morning, Gray still holds over 61% of the vote. Once certified on Dec. 11, he will be set to serve his second term as a congressman for District 13.
Original story
Merced Democratic Congressman Adam Gray is likely to serve another two year term in the U.S. House of Representatives for District 13, early voting results show.
By the end of Tuesday night, results showed Gray held roughly 61% of the vote.
For the last two years Gray has represented the district, which covers all of Merced County and parts of Stanislaus, Madera, Fresno, and San Joaquin counties. The congressman won the seat for the first time in 2024 by defeating the Republican incumbent, John Duarte, by less than 200 votes. The race was the closest in the nation.
Early voting results, however, closely mirrored those of the June primary, where Gray won more than 40% of votes, compared to Lincoln’s 38%.
Gray spoke with The Merced FOCUS after the first results came in around 8 p.m.
“Looking across the country, I’ve been a leader in the Blue Dog Democrats, and we’ve got a lot of independent Blue Dog Democrats winning in all kinds of places: Kentucky, North Carolina, Texas,” Gray said. “Pretty exciting stuff, and I hope we do really well here tonight, and more importantly, I hope we can get Congress focused on helping people again.”
Gray is running against Kevin Lincoln, a former Stockton Mayor and Marine veteran who was endorsed by President Donald Trump early on in his campaign. Lincoln’s campaign website says that if he’s elected, he would vote to lower taxes, secure the border, and fund law enforcement initiatives.
Lincoln did not return a request for comment Tuesday night.
California has until Dec. 11 to certify election results.
Supporters for Gray ‘got his back’
Gray told The Merced FOCUS in earlier interviews that he plans to continue fighting for legislation that favors his constituents ranging from topics like water and agriculture to healthcare and affordability. He also favors a more middle-of-the-line approach to Democratic politics.
Supporters such as Mike Mendoza, a business manager for a local electrical workers union, said Gray’s been supporting more infrastructure projects in the Valley.
“People are struggling here in the Valley,” Mendoza said. “We have lots of union workers – and just construction workers, period – that are traveling to the Bay Area to go find work… If he’s got our back, we got his back.”
UC Merced political science student Alfonso Garate said he also supports Gray because of his leadership.
“He’s a fighter,” Garate said. “He’s fought for the Valley, especially for the students at the UC… He’s a great leader and we need him in Congress.”
Even though results were still coming in, Gray said he was positive about the night.
“I’m so proud to be an American,” Gray said. “This is the greatest democracy, and when we have these elections and people turn out in droves across the country, and you’re seeing that happen today, it just reminds you what a great country this is.”
