| OK. So we'll start with a results thread here. Just to recap, in addition to the statewide special election, here are the other key races today, at least in the LA area:
City Attorney: This is a runoff election between Jack Weiss and Carmen Trutanich. This election got extremely nasty in the final weeks, although they pulled all their attack ads last night and went soft and cuddly for the stretch run. The low turnout probably favors Trutanich. If Antonio Villaraigosa cannot drag his pal Weiss across the finish line, then it speaks volumes about his ability to draw voters in what's supposed to be his local base.
LA City Council 5th District: This is another runoff between former Assemblyman Paul Koretz and neighborhood council leader David Vahedi. This happens to be a very engaged, well-off, activist district, so I would actually expect turnout to be decent, relatively speaking. Progressives have mobilized for Koretz, and most of the competitors in the first round primary endorsed him.
SD-26: Curren Price will be a state Senator by the end of the night, replacing Mark Ridley-Thomas. His Republican opponent is a rabbi, which rules, but I think he was outspent 300:1.
CA-32: This should be a very interesting race tonight, with Judy Chu, Gil Cedillo and Emanuel Pleitez the main competitors. Will Cedillo's nasty, negative strategy pay off? Did the late endorsers to Chu's campaign recognize a trend? Can Pleitez use social media politics to a good showing? We'll see.
...CapWeekly has a pre-analysis of their own for you to all read while we wait out the results. Anthony York thinks Schwarzenegger will tack hard right as a result of this defeat. He has no guiding political principle, so any port in a storm, I guess. I think York's reading the right tea leaves, and success or failure will depend on where the Democrats elected to reflect the will of the people will go.
...18.6% turnout reported for LA County. Remember, there were actual other elections on the ballot out here. Wow, that's just terrible.
...OK, the first results are in.
1A: 39% Yes, 61% No
1B: 42% Yes, 58% No
1C: 40% Yes, 60% No
1D: 39% Yes, 61% No
1E: 39% Yes, 61% No
1F: 77% Yes, 23% No
The totals are about 1 million votes, presumably absentees at this point. If you are charitable and say that there will be 30% turnout, there are maybe 4-5 million votes left. So I'd say that 20% of the totals or so are in at the very least.
...Another huge dump of absentees. And 13% of precincts reporting:
1A: 37% Yes, 63% No
1B: 40% Yes, 60% No
1C: 39% Yes, 61% No
1D: 38% Yes, 62% No
1E: 38% Yes, 62% No
1F: 75% Yes, 25% No
...First results from CA-32 are in over at LA County's website. Early, but it looks good for Judy Chu. 9% reporting:
JUDY CHU DEM 6,388 41.98
GIL CEDILLO DEM 2,628 17.27
BETTY CHU REP 1,938 12.74
EMANUEL PLEITEZ DEM 1,233 8.1
TERESA HERNANDEZ REP 1,202 7.9
DAVID A TRUAX REP 1,036 6.81
Probably would be in better shape without Betty Chu in the race.
...17% now reporting, and the numbers are basically the same as before.
1A: 37% Yes, 63% No
1B: 40% Yes, 60% No
1C: 39% Yes, 61% No
1D: 38% Yes, 62% No
1E: 38% Yes, 62% No
1F: 75% Yes, 25% No
...briefly on the other elections: with 10% in, Curren Price has 69% of the vote. Carmen Trutanich leads Jack Weiss 51-48 with about 10% of the vote in. And Paul Koretz leads 53-47 with 10% in. These last two will probably go all night.
...Debra Bowen tweets that these are all vote-by-mail ballots reporting right now. If, as expected, they are 40-50% of the final total, everyone can go to bed. Except for Jack Weiss, Carmen Trutanich, Paul Koretz and David Vahedi. |
