Jimmy Panetta holds a massive lead in the three-way race to keep his seat in Congress.

Adam Bolaños Scow built momentum with an environmentalist message, a Bernie Sanders mindset and a grassroots campaign, talking to residents despite their immigration status and knocking on doors in neighborhoods like Salinas’ Acosta Plaza – places that campaign volunteer Dominic Dursa says other candidates never go. Jeff Gorman built momentum by being a Trump-loving Republican in a conservative but solidly Democratic district, likening himself to Rocky Balboa but not knowing if he has the stamina – or the votes – to make it to round 2.

And incumbent Jimmy Panetta, who has perhaps the most famous last name in local politics and holds the office Scow and Gorman both seek – the 20th District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives – says he plans to keep his job by doing what he says he’s always done: serving the people of the district.

On election night, as Gorman held court at the Monterey County Republican Party headquarters in Monterey, and Scow had tacos and beer with about 75 volunteers and supporters at Mi Tierra in Oldtown Salinas, Panetta was back in D.C., having spent the day on Capitol Hill questioning Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin about why the Trump administration claims to care about the homeless while at the same time cutting funding to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

As of 9am on March 4, Panetta was clearly headed to the November general election for a top-two runoff, with 72,885 votes. Gorman had 25,4525 votes and Scow trailed with 12,450 votes.

Scow remained optimistic on Tuesday night as early results came in, though the margin never closed.

“It was never really about me or Jimmy,” Scow says. “He’s a nice guy but the policies he advocates for are grossly inadequate for the problems we face.”

Although pleased with a likely spot on the November ballot, Gorman knows he is up against a formidable opponent. “To Jimmy’s credit he plays well to both sides,” Gorman’s campaign manager Brian Higgins admits.

Gorman, meanwhile, compares the race to Rocky. “This is round 1,” he says. “People are concerned that local politics aren’t working well – for the homeless, for the schools, for their own health care.”

At the small gathering at GOP headquarters, Gorman’s second-place finish seemed a forgone conclusion, although some were hoping that Scow would take more votes from Panetta.

“One of the most important things is to give voters an alternative,” Gorman says. “You just keep fighting and believe in your message.”