CA Legislature now a Dem supermajority

Nov. 7, 2012

Katy Grimes: Many in California expected the Democrats to gain a supermajority in the state Senate. But few thought that a Democrat supermajority would happen in the Assembly.

Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez announced that Democrats have secured a supermajority in Assembly. The result will give Democrats the ability to raise taxes on their own as long the Senate votes along with them.

The last time the California Democrats had supermajority in both houses was 1883, according to Democrat strategist Steve Maviglio. This is definitely a ‘be careful what you wish for’ moment.

But there are several really close Assembly races that are either awaiting final votes to be counted, or are just too close to call.

The race between Assembly incumbent Chris Norby, R-Fullerton, and Democrat challenger, Fullerton Mayor Sharon Quirk Silva, is too close as well. Norby has 49.5 percent, and Silva has 50.5 percent.

Democrat Rudy Salas has a slim lead over Republican Pedro Rios in the race for Assembly District 32. Salas has 50.2 percent, Rios 49.8 percent.

Incumbents win

It was a night for California incumbents and the status quo, as nearly every legislative incumbent in the state won.

However, there are a few Assembly races too close to call.

Assembly race for District 50 between Assemblywoman Betsy Butler, D-El Segundo, and Richard Bloom, also a Democrat, is stalled at 49,9 percent for Butler, and 50.1 percent for Bloom.

The Norby-Silva race is still too close to call.

And Assemblyman Michael Allen, D-Santa Rosa, and challenger, Democrat Marc Levine, is also too close; Allen 49.4 percent, and Levine with 50.6 percent of the vote.