Democrat pulls ahead to win Southern California Assembly seat

[Newsjock]

Source: Sacramento Bee

The final vote update from Los Angeles County has given Democrat Steve Fox a slight lead over the presumed Republican victor in the 36th Assembly District, putting the seat in Democrats' column by a margin of just 145 votes.

Fox trailed Republican Ron Smith by about 2,000 votes the day after the Nov. 6 election, according to local reports, but the gap has narrowed in recent weeks as remaining absentee and provisional ballots were counted. The final count by Los Angeles County, which is one of three counties in the district, put Fox ahead with just over 50 percent of the vote.

A win in the 36th Assembly District gives Democrats control of 55 seats in the lower house -- one above the supermajority Assembly Speaker John A. Perez secured with another Election Day upset. Fox is unlikely to be a sure vote for Democrats in the 2013-2014 Legislature, however. The attorney and teacher ran as a Republican in a 2008 Assembly contest and has signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge against raising taxes.

Smith said Sunday that he is planning on seeking a recount. He said a stronger than usual Democratic tilt for provisional ballots in his district and other races has left him with the belief that "there is a political group that has leanred how to manipulate the election by playing with provisionals," which are ballots that are cast in cases where a voter who has requested an absentee ballot, has moved within a district without updating his or her registration, or is not on the polling place voter roster shows up in person to cast a ballot.

Read more: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/12/democrats-pulls-ahead-to-win-southern-california-assembly-seat.html

[SoapBox]

1. I was going to say, Yahoo! but then read

"The attorney and teacher ran as a Republican in a 2008 Assembly contest and has signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge against raising taxes."

Sooooo...a DINO? Or one of those so-called "Blue Dogs"?

Time will tell.

[Liberty Belle]

3. He now says it's okay to tax the rich, but not the middle class or poor.

http://www.avhidesert.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=2503 From an interview he did shortly before the election:

Q: What is the No. 1 priority of California state government?

FOX: The No. 1 priority of the California state government is to build and stimulate our economy without taxing the middle class.

We can stimulate our local economy by connecting our corporate tax incentives to how much of a corporation's profits are reinvested in our state in the form of new development and good jobs. By keeping the money local, we stimulate our local economies.

We can give millionaires a higher tax and we can tax minerals which come out of California's ground.

We have infrastructure and talent available to bring more military contracts to our district and create additional jobs. We need to market and use these assets immediately.

Part of economic priority is to ensure proper funding for our top priorities: A full and complete education for our children, which includes reduced secondary class sizes and more classes at the college level. By focusing on excellence in education, we are investing in our future economic success.

Finally, we need to ensure access to preventative medical care for our families now to reduce the impact of higher medical expenses in the near and more distant future.

Q: Do you support/oppose Propositions 30 and 38? Please explain your support or opposition for both measures.

FOX: I support Prop. 30 (at least this time) and I oppose Prop. 38.

[Lordquinton]

2. "there is a political group"

"there is a political group that has leanred how to manipulate the election by playing with provisionals,"

They are called Republicans.

[kimmylavin]

4. My district!

And yeah, he may be a DINO.
But this is a fairly red area, so I'm pleasantly surprised.

And my husband was one of those provisionals.
The guy has a JOB, Mr. Smith.
He'd filed for an absentee ballot, but then wound up with election day off, so he just went down in person, not knowing he wasn't supposed to do that.