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California Legislative Election Preview

Branché Jones

October 15, 2016

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ca-election-photosWith Election Day coming up on it’s a good time to take a look at the legislative landscape in California. Every seat in the California Assembly, along with half of the seats in the State Senate, will be on the ballot on November 8th.
Nine members of the State Senate terming out of office. An additional State Senator has declined to run for reelection. In the State Assembly, there are 15 members terming out, with two more members running for the State Senate.
All in all, there will be at least a dozen new members of the legislature in 2017. Currently, the Democrats control the Senate with 26 seats. The Republicans hold 14 seats, one of them vacant. In the Assembly, the Democrats control 52 seats, while Republicans hold 28.
With these totals, the Democrats are currently just one seat away from a supermajority in the Senate, and two away in the Assembly. Supermajorities in both houses would give the Democrats the ability to override vetoes by the Governor. It would also allow them to place ‘revenue’ measures on the ballot for voter approval.
Currently, the Democrats are targeting two Republican seats in the Senate, and eight in the Assembly. And with inter-party races becoming more common in the wake of California’s transition to the ‘top two primary system, several other seats feature Democrat vs. Democrat battles.
Below is a rundown of some of the important races being decided in November. Prominent locales in each district are listed (in parentheses). Incumbents names are in bold. Percentages listed represent each candidate’s vote share during the June primary. [Bracketed percentages] represent the total of the vote that went to other Democratic primary candidates. Termed-out legislators are listed in italics.

State Senate Races 2016 – Currently 26 D – 13 R – 1 Vacant

Democrat vs. Democrat Races

3rd Senate District (Davis, Fairfield, Martinez, Napa, Sonoma, Vallejo, Vacaville, Woodland)  –  Bill Dodd (D) 37.4% vs. Mariko Yamada (D) 29.9%; Wolk

9th Senate District (Albany, Alameda, Berkeley, El Ceritto, Emeryville, Hercules, Oakland, Piedmont, Pinole, Richmond, San Pablo, San Leandro) – Nancy Skinner (D) 47.8% vs. Sandre Swanson (D) 30.5%; Hancock

15th Senate District (Campbell, Cupertino, Los Gatos, San Jose, Saratoga) – Jim Beall (D) 49.4% vs. Nora Campos (D) 26.9%

35th Senate District (Carson, Compton, Gardena, Harbor City, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Lawndale, South Los Angeles, San Pedro, Torrance) – Steve Bradford (D) 35.6% vs.  Warren Furitani (D) 24.4%; Hall

Republican seats targeted by Democrats

21st Senate District (Apple Valley, Hesperia, Lancaster, Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Victorville) – Scott Wilk (R) 46.7% vs. Johnathon Ervin (D) 33.7%; Runner

29th Senate District (Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Chino Hills, Cypress, Diamond Bar, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia, Rowland Heights, Stanton, Walnut, West Corvina, Yorba Linda) – Ling Ling Chang (R) 44% vs. Josh Newman (D) 29.2% [26.8%]; Huff

State Assembly Races 2016 – Currently 52 D – 28 R

Democrat vs. Democrat Races

14th Assembly District (Benicia, Concord Lafayette, Martinez, Pittsburgh, Vallejo, Walnut Creek) – Mae Torlakson (D) 32.3% vs. Tim Grayson (D) 31.6%; Bonilla

27th Assembly District (San Jose) – Madison Nguyen (D) 34.3% vs. Ash Kalra (D) 19.8%; Campos

30th Assembly District (Gilroy, Hollister, Morgan Hills, Salinas, Soledad, Watsonville) – Anna Caballero (D) 46.1% vs. Karina Alejo (D) 26%; Alejo

43rd Assembly District (Burbank, Glendale, La Canada, La Crescenta, Los Angeles) – Laura Friedman (D) 31.9% vs. Ardy Kassakhian (D) 24.3%; Gatto

Republican seats targeted by Democrats

16th Assembly District (Alamo, Danville, Dublin, Lafayette, Livermore, Moraga, Orinda, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Walnut Creek) – Catherine Baker (R) 53.2% vs. Cheryl Cook-Kallio (D) 46.8%

35th Assembly District (Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Lompoc, Paso Robles, Santa Maria) – Dawn Ortiz-Legg (D) 45% vs. Jordan Cunningham (R) 37%; Achadjihan

36th Assembly District (California City, Lancaster, Mojave, Palmdale, Santa Clarita) – Tom Lackey (R) 48.2% vs. Steve Fox (D) 29.6%

38th Assembly District (Canyon Country, Castaic, Chatsworth, Northridge, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley) – Christie Smith (D) 44.7% vs. Dante Acosta (R) 36.2%; Wilk

40th Assembly District (Highland, Loma Linda, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, San Bernadino) – Abigail Medina (D) 51.5% vs. Marc Steinorth (R)  48.5%

60th Assembly District (Corona, Eastvale, Jurupa Valley, Norco, Riverside) – Eric Lander (R) 45.6% vs. Sabrina Cervantes (D) 41.5% [12.9%]

65th Assembly District (Anaheim, Buena Park, Cerritos, Cypress, Fullerton, La Palma) – Sharon Quirk-Silva (D) 54.3% vs. Young Kim (R) 45.7%

66th Assembly District (Gardena, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Palos Verdes, Redondo Beach, Torrance, West Carson) – Al Muratsuchi (D) 48.7% vs. David Hadley (R) 44.6% [6.7%]

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