CEA chairman Issa elected to Congress

CEA chairman Issa elected to Congress
WASHINGTON — Despite the uncertainty over the U.S. presidential election, the electronics industry is expecting better representation in the 107th Congress. Darrell Issa, board chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association (Arlington, Va.), won a House seat in California's 48th congressional district running as a Republican.

With all precincts reporting, Issa wracked up 61 percent of the vote in a traditionally conservative district that includes parts of Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties.

Issa, 47, defeated Democrat Peter Kouvelis. He is filling the House seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Ron Packard, a Republican.

CEA said Issa's election marks the first time the sitting head of an industry trade association has been elected to Congress. The new congressman is completing his second term as head of the trade group.

"It is exciting and an incredible precedent to have a sitting chairman of our association elected to Congress," said Gary Shapiro, CEA president and chief executive.

CEA represents about 600 consumer electronics manufacturers. The group also sponsors the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.