Category Archives: June 5 primary election

Progressive Women Positioned to Replace 9 Male Legislators in 2018 California Races

{See also Close the Gap’s Recruitment Strategy Works: Progressive Women Candidates Win Races, by Kate KarpilowJune 8, 2018]


PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Close the Gap CA Executive Director Susannah Delano
June 6, 2018  –  (707) 771-0939  –  [email protected]

Progressive Women Positioned to Replace 9 Male Legislators in 2018 State Races 

Below the Congressional “jungle primary” canopy, a groundswell of progressive women candidates is headed straight for Sacramento.

A record 98 women competed yesterday to win a spot in November run-offs for State Legislative seats. 43 will advance. This is the largest cohort of women to do so since 2004. Close the gap CA targeted 9 winnable districts to ensure at least one progressive woman was prepared to compete:

  • SD 12- Anna Caballero
  • SD 14- Melissa Hurtado
  • SD 22- Susan Rubio
  • SD 24- Maria Elena Durazo
  • SD 32- Vanessa Delgado
  • AD 15- Buffy Wicks, Jovanka Beckles (TBD)
  • AD 16- Rebecca Bauer-Kahan
  • AD 39- Luz Rivas
  • AD 76- Tasha Boerner-Horvath, Elizabeth Warren

In all districts except SD 32, at least one progressive woman has advanced to November (listed above). Two thirds are women of color. All targeted seats, except AD 16 have most recently been held by men.

For the first time in over a decade, we are witnessing a decisive uptick in the number of women serving in the California State Legislature,” said Executive Director Susannah Delano. “Close the gap CA targets open and purple, winnable seats throughout the state—including those vacated in the wake of #MeToo allegations—recruiting progressive women and positioning them to launch competitive campaigns.”

“It’s not a coincidence that these accomplished women were ready to run successful campaigns with very short runways,” continued Delano. In the past 6 months, voters have held 5 special elections to fill legislative seats vacated by men. Progressive women have already won 3 of the 5– Assemblymembers Wendy Carrillo and Sydney Kamlager, and now Assemblymember-Elect Luz Rivas. With progressive women positioned to replace male predecessors in 6 additional districts in November, 2019 could begin with gender parity numbers approaching their highest ever in California history.

“When more progressive women serve, our state’s policies become more comprehensive and just. And our Legislature itself is challenged to do better, for every Californian,” said Delano.


Close the gap CA is a campaign to achieve gender parity in the State Legislature by 2028.  After watching women drop to just 23% of the Assembly and Senate over the past decade, we decided to do something about it: we recruit progressive women to run.
For more information, please visit closethegapca.org.

RESULTS – June 5 Primary Election

Following are preliminary Solano County and State of California results from the June 5 primary election as reported by the California Secretary of State on June 6.  Candidates are listed by State ranking: top two will face off in November.  Candidates endorsed by our Progressive Dems of Benicia show a blue check mark.   (Benicia results will be posted later as they are made available by Solano County.CLICK ON AN IMAGE FOR LARGER DISPLAY.

U.S. Senate
U.S. House District 5
Governor
Governor
Lt. Governor
Secretary of State
Controller
Treasurer
Attorney General
Insurance Commissioner
Superintendent of Public Instruction
State Ballot Measures
San Francisco Bay Area Measure 3

Vallejo Times-Herald: Benicia Progressive Democrats pick endorsements

Repost from the Vallejo Times-Herald
[PDB editor:  A similar article ran in the print edition of the Benicia Herald on May 17, 2018, but has not appeared online.  For more details and background information, see our Endorsements page.]

Candidates, measures for June 5 election

Times-Herald staff report, online 05/15/18, print 05/26/18

BENICIA >> The Progressive Democrats of Benicia have announced their endorsements for the June 5 primary. The organization presented its research on each issue and candidate to the steering committee and then the committee took a final vote on who or what to endorse.

P.D.B. supports the following candidates: U.S. Senate, Kevin de Leon; U.S. Congress District 5, Mike Thompson; Governor, Delaine Eastin; Lieutenant Governor, Eleni Kounalakis; State Assembly District 14, Tim Grayson; Attorney General, Dave Jones; Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tony Thurmond; State Controller, Betty Yee; Insurance Commissioner, Ricardo Lara; Secretary of State, Alex Padilla; State Treasurer, Fiona Ma; and Solano County Superior Court Judge, Steve Gizzi.

As for measures and propositions, here is where they stand:

Proposition 68 — Support

Parks, Environment, and Water Bond: Authorizes bonds for funding parks, natural resource protection, climate adaptation, water quality and supply, and flood protection.

“The committee finds this to be in alignment with the organization’s policies regarding the environment.”

Proposition 69 — Support

Transportation Taxes and Fees Lockbox and Appropriations Limit Exemption Amendment: Requires that certain revenues generated by a 2017 transportation funding law be used only for transportation purposes and generally prohibits legislature from diverting funds to other purposes.

“This measure protects any diversion of transportation revenues for other purposes. There’s an estimated $16.1 million per year for local street and road maintenance, and $6 million per year for the state.”

Proposition 70 — Oppose

Vote Requirement to Use Cap-And-Trade Revenue Amendment: Requires a legislative supermajority vote to approve the use of the cap-and-trade reserve fund. It is a legislative constitutional amendment.

“This proposition … would seriously jeopardize future progress on pollution reduction and climate change mitigation.”

Proposition 71 — Support

Effective Date of Ballot Measures Amendment: Sets up an effective date for ballot measures. Legislative constitutional amendment. Provides that a ballot measure approved by a majority of voters shall take effect five days after the Secretary of State certifies the results of the election.

Proposition 72 — Support

Rainwater Capture Systems Excluded from Property Tax Assessments Amendment: Rainwater capture systems would not be counted as new construction after Jan. 1, 2019.

“The potential for this proposition to encourage rainwater capture systems to reduce potable water consumption can ease some of the severe water consumption issues cities face.”

Regional Measure 3 — Oppose

Bay Area Traffic Relief Plan: Building major roadway and public transit improvements via an increase in bridge tolls on all Bay Area toll bridges except the Golden Gate. “Residents of Solano County would shoulder the burden of paying this toll without any future relief of a public transit solution. More benefits will go to larger urban areas, and not equal benefits to Solano County.”

Learn more about the Progressive Democrats of Benicia and their stands at progressivedemocratsofbenicia.com