LOS ANGELES — U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia, the last Republican congressman anchored in heavily Democratic Los Angeles County, lost to Democrat George Whitesides on Monday, ending his re-election bid in a district north of Los Angeles.

In a statement, Garcia, a former Navy fighter pilot, said he congratulated Whitesides and would ensure a smooth transition of office operations to the former NASA chief of staff.

The Associated Press has not yet declared a winner because thousands of ballots have yet to be counted.

The race will be included in the ongoing battle to determine which party controls the House next year.

Garcia thanked the district’s residents “for allowing me to represent them during a tumultuous and critical time in our nation’s history.”

Whitesides said in a statement that he spoke with Garcia and thanked him for his service to the district and the nation. He said he will fight in Congress for good jobs and lower household costs.

Garcia, a supporter of former President Donald Trump with a conservative voting record, was elected for the first time in a 2020 special election in the battle against California’s liberal-leaning Gov. “I don’t want my country to turn into what my state has become,” he said at the time. He sought a full term later that year.

Garcia, who flew more than 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, showed a surprising ability to beat the odds in a district with an 11-point Democratic registration advantage. The once-conservative 27th District straddles the suburbs and high desert north of Los Angeles.

Whitesides, also a former CEO of Virgin Galactic, said he would use his business experience to solve problems.