Efforts to recall Democratic state Sen. Josh Newman were prevailing by a broad margin with more than 70 percent of precincts counted Tuesday night.
In first place to take the seat should Newman be recalled was Republican former Assemblywoman Ling Ling Chang, whom Newman upset to win the seat in 2016. She held a solid lead over fellow Republican Bruce Whitaker and Democrat Joseph Cho, who were running neck and neck for second. A majority vote is not needed to win in the recall race.
Newman, a Fullerton resident, was targeted for removal by Republicans shortly after a 2017 vote that helped pass a 12-cent-per-gallon increase to the gas tax, which will pay for a 10-year, $52-billion roads and transportation improvement package. State Senate terms normally last four years.
Recall proponents were celebrating early.
“Make no mistake about it: State Sen. Josh Newman’s political career is over because he supported the car and gas tax hikes,” said Carl DeMaio, a San Diego talk show host who helped spearhead the recall. “No amount of special interest money could save Josh Newman because voter anger over the gas and car tax hikes is so intense.”
Newman’s campaign hadn’t responded to calls when the tally appeared conclusive, but earlier in the evening expressed frustration with GOP tactics.
“The Republicans spent a lot of money lying to voters to get this on the ballot,” said Derek Humphrey, a Newman campaign consultant — a reference to Republicans laying responsibility for the tax at Newman’s feet and suggesting a recall would lead to repealing the increase. “And they got exactly what they wanted – a re-do of the 2016 election but with only half the number of voters participating. That’s the definition of an undemocratic, special interest power grab.”
The gas-tax hike was passed with the bare two-thirds majority required for tax increases. The GOP went after Newman because he was seen as the most vulnerable Democrat in the Senate and his removal could be key to the GOP’s effort at breaking Democrats’ two-thirds legislative majority. Democrats’ advantage among the three-county district’s registered voters is less than 3-percentage points.
Repeal effort
Republicans plan to follow the recall election with a November ballot measure that would roll back the gas-tax hike. Petition signatures are being verified for that initiative, which Republicans are hoping will spur GOP turnout in the general election and help Republicans in several key congressional races.
Newman, meanwhile, received hearty backing from Sacramento Democrats, including Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown was the leading advocate for the transportation package and has called Republicans “freeloaders” for expecting road improvements without any new source of revenue.
Republicans countered that the state should make the improvements with existing revenues, saying waste and misplaced priorities were responsible for inadequate transportation funding.
Tuesday’s ballot offered the choice of three Republicans and three Democrats to replace Newman if the recall was successful. Chang, who was leading the field, left the Assembly after one term in 2016 to run for Senate and was the favorite. Newman, who had not been expected to make it out of the 2016 primary, won by 0.8 percentage points — less than 2,500 votes.
Other Senate races
State Sen. Janet Nguyen, R-Fountain Valley, held a large lead in her reelection bid with more than half the vote counted. Of the remaining three candidates — all Democrats — hoping to advance out of the top-two primary to the general election, former Assemblyman Tom Umberg held a solid lead over progressive activist Jestin Samson, who was in third.
Democrats have a 10-percentage point voter-registration advantage in the two-county district but Nguyen displayed her superior campaigning skills when she won by 16-percentage points over Democratic former Assemblyman Jose Solorio in 2014.
Sen. Pat Bates, R-Laguna Niguel, held a comfortable lead in her reelection bid over Democratic businesswoman Marggie Castellano in a district that straddles the Orange-San Diego county line. They were the only two on the ballot and will face off again in November. Republicans have a 9-point advantage in the district’s voter registration.
There were two sets of voting on the ballot for the vacant post in state Senate District 32, which is predominantly in Los Angeles County but reaches into Orange County to take in Buena Park.
Democrat Tony Mendoza resigned from the seat in February as the Senate was about to vote on whether to expel him after an investigation found he likely engaged in “sexually suggestive” behavior toward six women. He denied wrongdoing and is running to regain his post.
One election on the ballot will determine who will fill the job for the remainder of this year. In early Orange County balloting for that race, Republican small business owner Rita Topalian led the 11-person field, followed by Democratic Montebello Mayor Vanessa Delgado, Democratic Pico Rivera Mayor Bob Archuleta and Mendoza.
If no candidate wins a majority of the vote, there will be a runoff Aug. 7. Topalian was well under 30 percent of the vote in early returns. Democrats have a 27-point advantage in the district.
In the contest to decide who gets qualifies for the November general election for the next four-year term, Topalian was leading, followed by Archuleta, Delgado and Republican businessman Ion Sarega.
