Mike Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot and Republican who flipped a Democratic House district in a special election earlier this year, will keep his seat in the House for a full term:

New: Christy Smith (D) just conceded to Rep. Mike Garcia (R) in #CA25. The House count now stands at 222D-211R with two uncalled races (#IA02 and #NY22). https://t.co/7n9q4gByuh

— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) December 1, 2020

The seat opened up this spring after former Democratic congresswoman Katie Hill resigned due to a sex scandal. In the GOP primary for the spring special election, Garcia beat a Republican who used to hold the seat and who had the backing of House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy.

Most prognosticators initially gave Garcia little chance of winning the special election. “Sometimes being under the radar is the best way to get to the target area,” the former fighter pilot who flew combat missions over Iraq told National Review.

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All of the Republicans who flipped Democratic districts in 2020 are veterans, minorities, or women (in many cases two of three). Garcia, whose father immigrated to the United States from Mexico, said in May: “I was a first-generation immigrant. My father and my grandfather came here and started from the ground up and created a great small business in the construction business. We were taught to work hard, we were taught to earn every dollar that we make, take pride in our country and be a patriot.”

Garcia is one of four California Republicans who flipped Democratic districts. The other three are Young Kim, Michelle Steel, and David Valadao.