Rep. Michelle Steel concedes to Derek Tran in closely watched 45th congressional district race

SEAL BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- The day after Democrat Derek Tran declared victory in the U.S. House race for California's 45th District, Republican Rep. Michelle Steel on Wednesday issued a concession statement in which she thanked her supporters and said: "Everything is God's will and, like all journeys, this one is ending for a new one to begin."

Steel's statement made no explicit mention of Tran or the closely watched congressional race.

"I owe a debt of gratitude to my supporters, my staff, my family, my daughters and especially my husband, Shawn, for standing by me through endless campaigns," Steel said.

"To my volunteers, we would never have made it this far without your tireless efforts," she added. "And, to the voters, thank you. I will never stop fighting for you."

In a social media post on Tuesday, Tran said the electoral count "has made it clear: I am the winner of this race thanks to the resilience, spirit, and dedication of our #CA45 community and volunteers."

Tran said voters he spoke with during the campaign "are looking to the future with hope and determination'' and he looks forward "to representing that optimism and working tirelessly to ensure that our communities' voices are heard in Washington.''

The latest vote count showed Tran ahead of Steel by more than 500 votes. However, the race has not officially been called.

All California counties must complete final election results by Dec. 5. The 45th Congressional District covers part of Los Angeles and Orange counties.