Blakeslee tops Laird to win senate seat

Republican Sam Blakeslee of San Luis Obispo defeated Santa Cruz Democrat John Laird in Tuesday’s race for a crucial seat in the California Senate.
The 15th District race filled the seat of former Sen. Abel Maldonado, who was appointed lieutenant governor in April. Because of the gerrymandered borders of the 15th Senate District, voters in Felton, part of Zayante, Scotts Valley and Mount Hermon weighed in, but voters in Ben Lomond and Boulder Creek did not. The district covers mostly the rural area between Santa Clara and Santa Barbara counties.
The race attracted a great deal of attention and millions of dollars in special interest money, because the outcome plays a deciding role in the state’s balance of power — namely, how the dire budget situation (a nearly $20 billion shortfall statewide) will be resolved.
A Democratic victory would have put the party within a vote in the state Senate of the two-thirds majority needed to pass a budget.
In the June 22 gubernatorial primary, Laird, who was endorsed by President Obama earlier this month, finished 7 percentage points behind Blakeslee, setting up the Aug. 17 special election runoff.
On Tuesday, Aug. 17, Blakeslee won with 48.8 percent of the vote to Laird’s 44.1 percent, with 100 percent of election precincts reporting.
Independent candidate Jim Fitzgerald of Nipomo took 5.1 percent of the vote, and Libertarian Mark Hinkle of Morgan Hill claimed 2 percent.
In Santa Cruz County, Laird’s home turf, he defeated Blakeslee 57.7 percent to 36.8 percent.
Laird also beat out Blakeslee in Monterey County (54.2 to 39.8) and Santa Clara County (46.7 to 45.6).
But Blakeslee’s big wins in the larger counties of Santa Barbara (61.8 to 29.4) and San Luis Obispo (56.6 to 35.9) made him the victor.
For complete results, visit www.votescount.com.