Results are in: Vidak wins in Senate race
As of 6:00 a.m., Republican Andy Vidak was leading Democratic challenger Leticia Perez, by more than 6,000 votes for the empty seat in the Senate District 16 runoff race.
Congratulations were already coming in to Vidak on his Facebook page.
Vidak, a 47-year old, third-generation Republican farmer from Hanford, seemed to win 51.9 percent of the vote in the special election in May over Bakersfield Democrat Leticia Perez for the Senate seat vacated by former Sen. Michael Rubio, D-Bakersfield.
Vidak needed 50 percent-plus-one votes to avoid a runoff against Perez.
But a large number of provisional ballots came in after Perez had already conceded the election causing Vidak to lose his 51 percent edge, and a runoff election was scheduled for July 23.
Democratic supermajority
Central Valley Senate District 16 has been a crucial one for Democrats in the Capitol. They needed it to keep their solid two-thirds supermajority that allows them to raise fees and taxes without any Republican votes. Even with a Vidak win, Democrats would still control 27 seats in the Senate. But they are worried about the seat recently vacated by Sen. Curren Price who won his race for Los Angeles City Council. That special election will take place in September.
July runoff
“With 100% of precincts reporting, the Hanford-area grower holds a nearly 6,000 vote lead over Kern County Supervisor Leticia Perez in the contentious 16th State Senate race,” 23 ABC News in Bakersfield just reported.
The California Secretary of State is reporting Vidak has 54 percent of the vote, with a total of 39,085 votes. Perez has 46 percent of the vote, with a total of 33,252 votes.
Kern County and Fresno County were where the majority of the provisional ballots appeared in the special election. In yesterday’s election, Kern County reported 48.1 percent for Vidak, and 58.9 percent for Perez. Fresno reported 45.9 percent for Vidak to 54.1 percent for Perez. However, Vidak won King and Tulare Counties with large margins.
CalWatchdog will update this story and the election results throughout the day.
By Katy Grimes
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“But a large number of provisional ballots magically appeared after Perez had already conceded the election…”
Why the hell don’t the Republicans prepare for this? Whenever the Democrats are losing an election a bunch of provisional ballots “magically” appear and the Democrat wins. Al Franken won in Minnesota this way, and Al Gore would have won if the Supreme Court hadn’t stopped him from creating new ballots.
Part of the Republican’s campaign funds should be allocated for fraud detection and intervention. The moment fraud is suspected the team takes action and exposes the Democrat for his/her fraud, thereby ending the scam and putting the Republican into office.
This is the only way to ensure we have fair elections AND get this country back on the path to prosperity.
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Suckered again…..you doomers just don’t get it……if Minnie Mouse or George Washington runs on your ticket…you lose…why….Prop 187….Arnold…..Meg…..Carleeeee….Huffington….Wilson…..
Oh….forgot your true poster boy Simon!
Note to author – Although I am deeply suspicious of last minute provisional ballots for obvious reasons even that doesn’t produce 107% vote totals in Kern Co. Something is amiss with Vidak = 48.1% and Perez = 58.9%. Maybe it should read 48.1% vs. 51.9%. Either that or the vote fraudsters in this state are even more bold than I thought.
On a related note, did Tweedledum and Tweedledee really get 100% of the vote? Not even 1% for Greenies or Libertarians or Peace & Freedomniks?
Queeg, you’ve been quiet lately. Where have you been? Back under involuntary psychiatric observation again? Don’t forget to take your meds this time!
It was a runoff.
Thanks, you are correctamundo.
Vidak’s challenger, Leticia Perez, just conceded the race – 4:30 pm
Katy
Who cares, you think anything will change in this state-either way???? Not happening, we’re doomed
“In yesterday’s election, Kern County reported 48.1 percent for Vidak, and 58.9 percent for Perez.”
This claim still doesn’t make sense. A 107% vote total in Kern Co.?
Aside from the strange math issue Rex is right, this doesn’t change anything in The Land That Sanity Forgot.
We need a singing cowboy to lull the Sac kabal to lighten up….like sing song by Ernie…16 TONS….owe me soul to the legislature!
The numbers came directly from the Secretary of State’s office http://vote.sos.ca.gov/returns/state-senate/district/16/county/all/
I also wondered how the SOS could claim 100% returns were in when absentees and provisionals aren’t counted yet.
Katy