[EL] competitive primaries are common in Calif. leg races when no incumbent

[Richard Winger]

Rick Hasen's Election Law Blog tonight talks about how close the primary between two Democrats was, in the Assembly (lower house of the Cal. legislature), 46th district in which Rick happens to live.  But there was no incumbent.  It is not rare in California, or in the U.S. generally, to have a competitive primary for a congressional or legislative seat when there is no incumbent.

It seems to me, even if there were no Prop. 14 top-two open primary in California, the race in that district's Democratic primary would have been close, given no incumbent.  Perhaps the same two Democrats would have run in the old partisan system.

In 2010 in California, under the old partisan system, there were some very close legislative primaries.  For Democrats, just for the Assembly, there were close races in these districts:  3, 7, 9, 20, 21.  For Republicans, there were close races in these Assembly districts:  25, 59,70.

Also in 2010, the Democratic primary for State Senate, 40th district, saw these results:  Juan Vargas 24,282 votes; Mary Salas 24,260 votes, a difference of only 22 votes.

Richard Winger

415-922-9779

PO Box 470296, San Francisco Ca 94147
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