California Democrats keep seats in two tight congressional races

Two California Democrats narrowly held onto their House seats, giving the minority party at least 188 members for the new Congress.

Reps. Ami Bera and Jim Costa were declared winners Wednesday by the Associated Press. Bera, currently in his first term, defeated Republican Doug Ose, a former congressman, by about 1,400 votes in a Sacramento-area House district.

The Bera vs. Ose race in California's 7th District was the nation's most expensive House race when spending by the candidates and outside groups are combined, according to data kept by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics. A total of $20.6 million was spent, with about $13.5 spent by outside groups.

Costa won a sixth term by defeating Republican Johnny Tacherra in a district based in the San Joaquin Valley. It's the second time in the past three elections that Costa has come back to win after trailing on election night, according to the Fresno Bee.

There are still three House races that are undecided. An Arizona race between Democratic Rep. Ron Barber and GOP challenger Martha McSally in former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' Tucson-area district is headed for a recount next month.

The other undecided races are in Louisiana, which will hold runoffs on Dec. 6 to determine the winners. GOP Rep. Vance McAllister, better known as the "kissing congressman," currently holds the 5th District seat centered in Monroe and Alexandria, but he did not make the runoff.

In the 6th District that encompasses Baton Rouge, current GOP Rep. Bill Cassidy is running for the U.S. Senate. Former congressman and governor Edwin Edwards, a Democrat, is vying in the runoff against Republican Garret Graves, a former adviser on coastal matters to Gov. Bobby Jindal.