It was an awful election night for President Obama and congressional Democrats on Tuesday, as the GOP took over the majority in the U.S. Senate and made gains in the House of Representatives. For the first time since 2002, Congress will be completely controlled by the Republicans. President Obama, have your veto pen ready! But, as in 2010, the last GOP wave election, California bucked the national trend: Democrats were elected or re-elected to every statewide office. And voters also passed Prop. 47, a measure that is another step toward reforming a criminal justice system that had become so punitive that America’s prison population surpasses that of many oppressive regimes. The Golden State is shining brightly.
The Culver City Democratic Club congratulates Gov. Jerry Brown on winning a historic fourth term, as well as Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Secretary of State-elect Alex Padilla, Controller-elect Betty Yee, Treasurer-elect John Chiang, Attorney General Kamala Harris, Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, Superintendent for Public Instruction Tom Torlakson and Board of Equalization Member Jerome Horton. The club also congratulates our local district lawmakers, U.S. Rep. Karen Bass, State Sen. Holly Mitchell and Assemblymember Sebastian Ridley-Thomas on their re-election victories.
Congratulations also go out to Sheila Kuehl on her election to the L.A. County Board of Supervisors for the 3rd District. Supervisor-elect Kuehl was the club’s Holiday Party speaker last December. And finally, congratulations to CCDC member Scott Houston on his first place finish to win a seat on the West Basin Municipal Water Board of Directors, Division 4. Democrats Jeff Ebenstein and CCDC Correspondence Secretary Stephen Murray came in second and third respectively – good efforts by both. As of this writing, Democrat and West Hollywood Councilmember Jeffrey Prang has a slight lead over his opponent in the L.A. County’s Assessor’s race. Hopefully, Councilmember Prang will eventually prevail.
Please join the CCDC at the next General Meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12, for a panel discussion recapping the midterm elections, and how Culver City voted. The meeting will take place at 7pm at the Veterans Memorial Building, Rotunda Room 4117 Overland Ave., Culver City.
— Sylvia Moore, CCDC First Vice President/acting President