In a series AC circuit that contains only capacitive reactance and resistance, the current:

In a series AC circuit that consists of both capacitive reactance and resistance, the behavior of current in relation to voltage is characterized by the phase angle, which results from the combination of the effects of the capacitor and the resistor. Capacitive reactance causes the current to lead the voltage. However, the presence of resistance creates a phase angle that is less than 90 degrees.

In this scenario, the current does not purely lead the voltage by 90 degrees, as it would in a purely capacitive circuit. Instead, the resistor introduces a phase shift that reduces the lead angle. Therefore, while the current does lead, it does so by an angle that is less than 90 degrees due to the influence of both the resistance and the capacitive reactance.

The correct understanding of the relationship between current and voltage in the presence of capacitive reactance and resistance leads us to conclude that the current indeed leads the voltage, but the lead is not full 90 degrees, making the current's phase shift less than 90 degrees.