Dec. 6 (Bloomberg) -- California Republican State Senator John Campbell was elected to the U.S. Congress representing the 48th District in Orange County, defeating Jim Gilchrist, one of the founders of the Minutemen border security group, the Associated Press reported.

Campbell, 50, had 46 percent of the vote with 178 of 268 precincts reporting to 24 percent for Gilchrist, who ran as an independent, according to the Web site of the Orange County Voters Registrar. Democrat Steve Young had 27 percent, while Green Party candidate Bea Tiritilli and Libertarian Bruce Cohen, had less than 2 percent each.

Campbell's victory in the special election will give him a one-year term in the office vacated by Republican Christopher Cox, who was appointed chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 29. Campbell would have to run again in November for a full two-year term.

Gilchrist forced a runoff in the Republican-majority district by winning 15 percent of the primary vote Oct. 4 and holding Campbell to 46 percent, beneath the 50 percent threshold needed to win the seat outright.

To contact the reporter on this story: Nicholas Johnston in Washington at njohnston3@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: December 7, 2005 02:05 EST