In addition to major national news outlets declaring that former Vice President Joe Biden (D) is president-elect, defeating incumbent President Donald Trump (R), pending any recounts and legal appeals, there were other election updates over the weekend that potentially affect the Department of Energy’s nuclear weapons complex.
In Nevada’s 3rd congressional district, first-term incumbent Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.), appears to have defeated challenger Daniel Rodimer (R), a businessman and former professional wrestler. However, this election’s winner remains undecided due to a lawsuit, according to the Ballotpedia website.
With 100% of the vote apparently counted, the Associated Press lists Lee with 49.2% and Rodimer with 45.5%, with the rest split between a Libertarian and an Independent candidate. The district is home to the Department of Energy’s Nevada National Security Site.
Things are even closer in California’s 25th district which includes much of the Santa Susana National Laboratory.
With 83% of the votes counted, incumbent Mike Garcia (R-Calif.), who won a special election in May to claim the open seat, leads Christy Smith (D) 50.1% to 49.9%, according to the Associated Press. Garcia, a former Raytheon employee, defeated Smith, a California Assembly member during the special election to determine the successor to Rep. Katie Hill (D-Calif.), a first-term incumbent who resigned in November after acknowledging an affair with a former campaign staffer.
