Voters across the Southland will choose members of the state Legislature today, and while the majority of races are not believed to be overly competitive, some have generated plenty of campaigning.
Downey City Councilman Mario Guerra, a Republican insurance broker, is hoping to win the seat being vacated by termed-out Sen. Ron Calderon, D-Montebello, who is also facing federal corruption charges. He is battling Democratic former Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, a school teacher from Artesia.
Although the district is considered heavily Democratic, the candidates have waged a big-money campaign, and it’s unclear if the corruption scandal involving Calderon will have an impact on Mendoza.
In the 26th Senate District, a pair of Democrats are battling to replace Sen. Ted Lieu, D-Torrance, who is looking to move to the congressional seat being vacated by Rep. Henry Waxman.
Sandra Fluke, who gained national fame when she was insulted by radio conservative Rush Limbaugh over her push for health care coverage for contraception, is squaring off with attorney Ben Allen. The district covers affluent areas stretching from the Hollywood Hills to Marina del Rey to Palos Verdes.
In the northern reaches of Los Angeles County, Steve Fox, D-Los Angeles, is being challenged by Republican Tom Lakey, a Palmdale City Council member. Lakey was the top vote-getter in the June primary, and Republicans are hoping to steal the seat, which represents Palmdale and Lancaster and also stretches into Kern and San Bernardino counties.
Assemblyman Ian Calderon, D-Whittier, is likely to hold onto his seat representing the 57th District, which includes Norwalk and La Puente. He is facing a challenge from Republican Rita Topalian, a family law attorney. Democrats have a strong voter registration edge in the district, and Calderon is hoping to avoid any fallout from the federal legal troubles dogging his uncle — Ron Calderon.
In the 66th District, Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi, D-Torrance, is looking to retain his seat in the face of a strong challenge from Republican David Hadley. Hadley finished slightly ahead of Muratsuchi in the June primary. The district also includes Manhattan Beach and parts of Palos Verdes.
