April 3: Special elections for Assembly

[Brian]

Governor Brown has signed proclamations setting special elections on Tuesday, April 3, for three state Assembly districts, two of which were vacated by the resignations of members accused of sexual harassment. Runoffs for those seats will coincide with the June 5 statewide primary election. The winners will serve in Sacramento until December. That means that candidates who want more than a six month job will have to file for the June primary before the April special election.  So the names of some contenders will appear twice -- once for each term -- on the June ballot if they get enough votes in April.

I've been watching the developments in my 39th District since the governor called the special election last month.  Ten candidates have filed with the Los Angeles County Registrar, as seen in the link below.  I recognize two names:  Patty Lopez, who defeated Raul Bocanegra in 2014 and served one term before he won back the seat in 2016, and Bonnie Corwin, who came in last in the Los Angeles City Council race here last year.

www.lavote.net/Apps/CandidateList/Index?id=3843

Brown just set the special election in the 45th District in the western San Fernando Valley last Monday, but I'm already endorsing Dan Brin, one of my best friends for 40 years.  Dan introduced me to Anni in 1992.  You'll learn more about Dan on the Montrose Peace Vigil message board in the coming weeks.

[Brian]

About 30 West Valley residents came to the fundraiser for Daniel Brin's campaign last Sunday, bringing their ideas and enthusiasm for Dan's candidacy along with their checkbooks.  The host, whose backyard overlooks the entire West Valley, only met Dan a year ago.  Most of the guests have known Dan in his role as president of the West Hills Neighborhood Council for the past six years.  But all of us have benefited from Dan's leadership and knowledge.  No one I've ever met is better qualified to serve as member of the California Assembly.  I just wish Dan lived in my district instead!  We have a special election too.

The brief article in the Los Angeles Daily News linked below calls Dan's bid a long shot, but after Sunday afternoon, I believe that Dan has a chance to make the runoff.  Former L.A. City Councilman Dennis Zine, the biggest name on the April 3 ballot, dropped out of the race after this was published:

www.dailynews.com/2018/01/30/valley-activist-daniel-brin-makes-long-shot-run-for-assembly/

The special primary election for the Assembly seat in Eagle Rock last October was typical of other special elections -- only 10 percent of the registered voters turned out, and the runner up qualified for the special general election in December with little more than 4,000 votes.  Like Patty Lopez' upset victory in November 2014 over Assemblyman Raul Bocanegra in my district -- less than 500 votes between them -- the ground game determined the victors.  With the help of his friends, Daniel Brin is on his way to Sacramento.

[Brian]

Since February, the mailers have been stacking up on my coffee table, and with 11 postal days remaining before the April 3 special election, that pile could double.  Although the mailers offer little useful information about the 39th Assembly District candidates and their policies, you can glean a lot about their campaign contributors and weigh how much money they've raised.

Luz Maria Rivas leads with 9 mailers, 4 of those sent on her behalf by the California Charter Schools Association.  Rivas is also backed by the East Valley political machine that gave us Raul Bocanegra, who resigned this Assembly seat in November after accusations of sexual harassment, and our former Los Angeles City Councilman Felipe Fuentes, who resigned a year before his term was done to become a lobbyist in Sacramento.

Running a close second in my mailbox is Antonio Sanchez, whose campaign has sent 5 mailers that seem to aim for a new standard of vapidity.  They're supplemented by 2 from labor and construction trade unions.

As I remember, Patty Lopez only sent one mailer when she beat Bocanegra in 2014 and went on to serve us ably for one term.  Her voting record was scored at the top of positive rankings by every progressive organization.  As a freshman, she sponsored 11 bills, not the least of which prevents cities and counties from outlawing clotheslines.  So far, only one mailer has arrived, paid by the California Nurses Association.

[Sharon W]

If you're inclined Anni could post this on some Sunland-Tujunga FB pages - Patty needs all the help she can get. I'd do it but it's better from someone in the district.

[Brian]

All of the precincts have been counted. In the 39th Assembly District, Democrat Luz Maria Rivas got 42 percent of the vote and Republican Ricardo Antonio Benitez garnered 22 percent. They will compete in a runoff for the unexpired term on the regular statewide primary ballot in June.

I had only focused on the Democrats -- Rivas, Antonio Sanchez and my choice Patty Lopez -- thinking that two of the three would advance to the runoff.  Silly me for ignoring the only Republican.  Less than 15 percent of the voters in this district are registered Republicans, yet Benitez got 22 percent because Republicans always turn out for low turnout special elections.  Rivas will be elected in June by a landslide.

Sanchez came in third with 19 percent, and Lopez was fourth with only 10 percent.

The candidates on Tuesday's ballot also filed to run in the June primary for the next term.  I assume that Patty Lopez' campaign is now over.  But will the trade unions and educators associations that backed Sanchez in the special election spend more money between now and June to try to get him into a November runoff with Rivas?

After all, most elections in this town are face offs between the charter schools and the teachers unions.