California GOP gets boost in "jungle primary"
The race isn't over yet in the special election for California's 36th congressional district, but the Republican party notched a surprising victory yesterday in the state's new "jungle primary" system.
The final results from Tuesday's primary are too close to call, but it appears that conservative, Tea Party-backed businessman Craig Huey may have placed second in the race to replace retired Rep. Jane Harman, the Los Angeles Times reports. No candidate in the crowded "jungle primary" won more than 50 percent of the vote, so there will be a final run-off election on July 12.
If the final vote tally does put Huey in second place, he'll face off against the top vote getter, Democrat Janice Hahn, a Los Angeles city councilwoman.
Typically, voters see a Republican square off against a Democrat on the final ballot for a congressional seat. But with its new "jungle primary" system, California has tossed out the old rulebook in favor of a run-off system that puts the two most popular candidates -- regardless of party -- on the final ballot.
Many anticipated that two Democrats would end up on the final ballot to replace Harman. The results from Tuesday's primary, however, show that the new system could have unexpected consequences.
With all precincts reporting, Hahn carried 24.6 percent of the vote, the Associated Press reports. Huey received 21.8 percent, while California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, a progressive Democrat, won 21.4 percent.
As of early Wednesday, Huey lead Bowen by just 206 votes, with more than 9,000 mail-in, provisional and damaged ballots that have yet to be counted -- which means Bowen could still push Huey out of the race. The count is expected to be completed Friday, according to the AP. Bowen's campaign said she is confident she'll be in the July 12 run-off.
Tuesday's election was the first test of the "jungle primary" system that California voters enacted by passing Proposition 14 in the 2010 elections. Proponents of the new system have argued that it could end the partisan gridlock in California, since the traditional, party-based primary system typically benefits partisan candidates over moderates.
Opponents of the new system say it will drown out lesser-known, third-party candidates. Alternatively, they argue, if several Republicans and Democrats enter a primary, it could split the main party's vote and result in candidates with views in opposition to those of most voters making it to the finals. That may have been the case here -- Democrat Marcy Winograd came in fourth place with 9 percent of the vote. Liberal voters may have split between Winograd and Bowen.