Dems took over the House but not the Senate, California has a new governor, and as of press time, Marshall Tuck narrowly leads Tony Thurmond for the Superintendent of Public Instruction race by a margin of 50.7 percent to 49.3 percent, a margin of 87,502 votes. All precincts have reported but there are still an estimated 4 million that have yet to be counted. The remaining ballots are dropped off mail on Election Day, as well as provisional ballots, or persons that registered to vote on Tuesday.
Highlights of the country’s midterm election November 6. Across the country, Democrats grabbed enough seats to take over the house, giving them veto abilities that could block some of Trump’s plans like the U.S./ Mexico border wall and the undoing of Obamacare. Locally, voters said no to Prop 10, which would repeal current rent control laws, as well as a fuel tax that helps maintain infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Alex Padilla remains secretary of the Golden State, Diane Feinstein still represents California in the Senate, and Maxine Waters will continue to represent the state’s 43rd district in the House. Gavin Newsom overtook Republican John Cox in the race for California’s next governor and Thurmond said he wanted to get rid of the Betsy DeVos education agenda. During his campaign, Thurmond was endorsed by various teachers’ unions and all five 2108 teachers of the year.
“California’s educators want leadership to fully fund and protect public education,” he said.
Californians voted yes on Prop 1, which would distribute housing assistance bonds to various projects for veterans. They voted yes, to allowing the state to use funds from a 2004 tax increase via Prop 63, to expand mental health services for the homeless. They also voted yes for bonds to fund Children’s Hospital construction, and to changing the daylight savings time period.
Voters said no to repeal of a 12 cents a gallon tax on gasoline, creating a public bank in California and regulating dialysis charges. They said no to a repeal of rental control laws that don’t allow local governments to regulate rent on private residences. For her part, Congresswoman Waters, leading a largely African American and Latino district, predicted that a Democratic takeover of the House would represent hope for her constituents.
“If we take back the House, I think six members of the Congressional Black Caucus will be the chairs of the biggest committees of the U.S. Congress,” she said in an earlier interview with the Sentinel.
“ We can propose legislation, we can do investigations, we can use our subpoena power. It will be very powerful. And then, of course, if they aren’t willing to impeach, we certainly will be in good position to get rid of the president in 2020.”
This year, Waters and some of her fellow Democrats were the targets of a series of mail bomb threats, from a suspect who has since been apprehended. She attributed the violence to an atmosphere of divisiveness and hostility that the current president has created.
“I’ve gotten bomb threats for almost the entire time that this president has been in office because I was able to discern who he was, what he cared about and how he defined himself in the campaign,” Waters explained.
“And so, I started out early saying, ‘this man is dangerous. This man should not be president of the United States.’ And I started warning my colleagues that he needed to be impeached. And so, the backlash started on me early. I told my family, and we all agree, that we must be wise and sensible but we must not be frightened to the point where we can’t live our lives and do our work in a way that’s satisfying to us. I’m not frightened at all. I’m cautious, I’m careful and I’m not irresponsible. We have certain security at certain times and in certain ways…”
For his gubernatorial victory, Newsom had this to say.
“Voters of California elected me as their next governor. I am so, so grateful.
Other victories include:
Holly Mitchell: won 100% of the vote for State Senate
Chris Holden: State Assembly 41st District
Reginald Jones Sawyer: 59th Assembly District
Mike Gipson: 64th Assembly District
Autumn Burke: 62nd Assembly District
Nanette Barragan: 44th Assembly District
Sydney Kamlager: 54th Assembly District
Editors note: The story was updated.
