With tens of thousands of votes remaining to be counted, the campaign of longtime Republican U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California was not conceding defeat Saturday after the Associated Press called the House in favor of his Democratic Party opponent. The AP declared that Harley Rouda, 56, a Republican-turned-Democrat who criticized Rohrabacher for his skepticism over climate change and depicted him as an out-of-touch abettor in Washington gridlock, had won Tuesday's election in California's 48th Congressional District in Orange County, south of Los Angeles. The AP projection of a Rouda win came several hours after the Democrat declared victory on his own, the Los Angeles Times reported. With the vote count still underway, Rouda's advantage was growing Saturday, to 52 percent of the vote and about 8,500 more votes than Rohrabacher. But Rohrabacher's campaign said in a statement that tens of thousands of ballots remained uncounted, and the campaign would not have a statement until the vote count is complete. That could take as long as two weeks, Neal Kelly, Orange County's registrar of voters, told the Sacramento Bee. Rohrabacher, 71, a one-time speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan, has served in the House since 1989. But in recent years California has become an increasingly blue state, with much dislike for President Trump -- and most elections in Orange County and elsewhere appeared to reflect that. Harley Rouda, Democratic congressional candidate in the 48th district, addresses his supporters at his election night party Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Newport Beach, Calif. (Associated Press) Harley Rouda, Democratic congressional candidate in the 48th district, addresses his supporters at his election night party Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2018, in Newport Beach, Calif. (Associated Press) Democrats had targeted seven GOP-held House districts in California this year that were carried by Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election, including Rohrabacher's 48th. A Rouda win would give them three of those seats, with the potential to pick up three more and pad their new majority in the House. Democrat Katie Porter is inching closer to Republican U.S. Rep. Mimi Walters in Orange County's 45th District. In the nearby 39th District held by retiring GOP Rep. Ed Royce his protege, Republican Young Kim, sees her lead over Democrat Gil Cisneros tightening. In central California's farm belt, Democrat Josh Harder grabbed a nearly 2-point lead after a vote count update Friday after trailing Rep. Jeff Denham in the 10th District. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/californias-rohrabacher-not-conceding-despite-medias-call-of-democrat-victory