Gov. Gray Davis capped a Democratic sweep of the state’s
major offices Tuesday evening, eking out a victory over Republican
challenger Bill Simon in spite of public discontent with both
candidates.
With nearly 84 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday,
Davis had secured nearly 48 percent of the vote, six points ahead
of Simon.
“I want to thank voters for the opportunity to finish this
job,” Davis said in his victory speech at the party’s
celebration in Los Angeles. “I thank Mr. Simon for running an
impressive race.”
Democrats also claimed the Lt. Governor, Secretary of State,
Treasurer, Controller, Attorney General, and Education
Superintendent spots, defying a nationwide trend toward Republican
victors.
Incumbent Cruz Bustamante took the Lt. Governor’s race by
earning nearly 50 percent of the reported vote, and State Senator
Jack O’Connell claimed the Superintendent’s race by
garnering 61 percent.
In Los Angeles, support for Davis was higher than it was
statewide, coming in at close to 57 percent. In neighboring ““
traditionally conservative ““ Orange County, the results were
opposite: Simon garnered 57 percent to Davis’ 35 percent.
Gubernatorial challenger Bill Simon conceded the election to
Davis at 11:45 pm, effectively ending the race.
“I don’t think the numbers are going to hold up for
us this time,” Simon said.
Davis’ victory concluded a campaign plagued by charges of
incompetency against both sides.
However, results show public dissatisfaction with the
gubernatorial front-runners had little impact on the returns for
Green Party candidate Peter Camejo.
Camejo received 5 percent of the vote, consistent with opinion
polls held before Tuesday and with past election results for
third-party candidates.
Prior to the election, Camejo was projected to receive between 4
and 5 percent of the anticipated turnout.
Locally, Democratic incumbents Herb Wesson and Paul Koretz won
additional terms in the state Assembly by large margins, holding
off Republican challengers by taking more than 70 percent of
reported votes.
With 65 percent of precincts reporting early Wednesday, Wesson
had secured 81 percent of the votes, crushing Republican opponent
Jonathan Leonard.
Wesson, the current speaker of the Assembly, will represent
UCLA’s district for the first time.
Koretz currently holds the UCLA seat, but redistricting this
year put him in a neighboring precinct where he will represent
constituents living north and east of campus.
Koretz also scored a decisive victory over Republican challenger
Jeffrey Bissiri, garnering 74 percent of the vote to
Bissiri’s 26 percent.
Local college students attended both the Democratic and
Republican victory parties, expressing their support in a rare
display of political commitment from students.
“I think it’s important that students come to events
like this and it’s important that (candidates) see
students,” said Julia Falcone, a second-year political
science and international relations student at the University of
Southern California who attended the Democratic reception.
“Bill Simon is just far too right for me, and far too
right for California,” said Mark Karman, a fourth-year
history student at USC and president of the USC Democrats.
At the Republican party, students expressed regret with the
outcome.
“We’re disappointed tonight,” said Becky Soll,
a second-year political science student and member of the
Republican Leadership Council.
Most students at UCLA reported voting for one of the two leading
candidates, even if out of reluctance.
“(With) the major candidates, it was a case of choosing
the lesser of two evils,” said second-year undeclared student
Karen Trattner after voting on campus.
The “lesser of two evils” justification was common
among students, many of whom said they voted for their candidate by
default.
“Personally, I don’t like either one of them, but
you have to stick with your own party,” said third-year
business economics student Amanda Runner, who said she favored
Davis. Handing her vote to Camejo, second-year economics student
Graciela Guzman said she did not know enough about Simon to vote
for him, and disliked Davis because he rejected a bill that would
have made it easier for immigrants to obtain driver’s
licenses.
With reports from Andrew Edwards, Noah Grand, Charles Proctor
and Ayelet Ifrah, Daily Bruin Staff.