MODESTO, Calif. - Embattled Congressman Gary Condit lost his bid for an eighth term, indelibly tainted by his involvement with a 24-year-old former intern who vanished in Washington, D.C., last spring.
Condit's former protege, Assemblyman Dennis Cardoza, led by a wide margin Tuesday in the Central Valley race that has turned into a national tabloid drama. California Democrats, once loyal to Condit, threw their support behind Cardoza, helping him raise more than twice as much as the congressman.
As the vote tallies rolled in, the mood was grim outside Condit's home in the town of Ceres. The congressman emerged from his house to speak briefly, flanked by family and campaign volunteers. Condit refused to concede that his 30-year political career, which began with the Ceres City Council, had come to a halt.
But he didn't show up at two places where supporters had gathered, and his words had a ring of farewell.
"I want to thank the voters for allowing me to serve," Condit said. "It's been a great opportunity. I'm going to work hard in the remaining time to make the valley a better place."
Earlier Tuesday, it was clear that Condit's stock had plummeted. Near his election headquarters in Modesto, critics holding signs urged motorists to "Honk for Gary to resign now" and to "Fire the liar." The honking was ear-splitting.
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Five miles away, at Modesto's Doubletree Hotel, Cardoza supporters cheered and threw confetti as Cardoza claimed victory at a jubilant party Tuesday night. The hotel's ballroom was decked with red-white-and-blue bunting, and a band played "Small Town" by John Cougar Mellencamp, the campaign theme song chosen to reflect a candidate who grew up in Atwater.
"The district has just been through a terrible ordeal, and it's time to focus on the issues," Cardoza said just before he made his victory speech. "We need to focus on them instead of on a scandal that's distracted our congressman, unfortunately."
Condit lost despite a last-minute push that urged voters to "Rock the Nation" by defying the pundits and polls, which predicted he would lose. Despite several attempts to buff up his image, Condit was unable to shake questions about the April disappearance of Chandra Levy, a woman from Modesto who had just completed an internship with the U.S. Bureau of Prisons and had a relationship with Condit.
The loss brings an end to an era for the Central Valley district, which stretches from Stockton to Fresno County. Condit, a conservative Democrat, has represented the district since 1989, enjoying bipartisan support until Levy disappeared 10 months ago.
This fall, Cardoza will face Republican Dick Monteith, a state senator from Modesto. The race could prove pivotal in the Democratic drive to retake the House in November.
The 18th Congressional District leans heavily Democratic, but is not considered safe because Republican numbers are on the rise after an aggressive registration drive. The district is now about 47 percent Democratic and 40 percent Republican.
Despite seven previous victories, Condit faced an uphill battle since becoming the central figure in the sordid drama that played out after Levy vanished 10 months ago. Condit was slow to divulge details that might have helped in the search; police said the 53-year-old congressman admitted to an affair with Levy and a flight attendant claimed that Condit asked her to swear that the two had not been lovers.
Condit has a core of loyal followers, including Shimshon Warda, a Modesto draftsman. "Gary is a good man and an excellent Congressman," Warda said. "What he does after work has nothing to do with me."
But many who had voted for him before couldn't bring themselves to do so this time. "He could have handled the whole situation better than he did," said Dorothy Wallace, a hotel housekeeper. "I'm not saying he did or didn't do it, but I don't like the way he handled it."
Condit ran as the underdog against five challengers, including three candidates who live outside the district: a San Jose gas station manager, a Sikh engineering professor at Santa Clara University and a Los Angeles record producer.
Cardoza, his chief rival, once served on his staff, but the two men parted ways once Cardoza entered the race with the backing of the state Democratic Party. The Condit campaign tried to make an issue of Cardoza's betrayal, encouraging supporters to yell, "Traitor, traitor," whenever the assemblyman made campaign appearances.
Cardoza, who largely avoided appearing with Condit, likened the split to a divorce and said he was looking out for the best interests of the district.
Knight Ridder Tribune
