NEWSROOM

North Coast Dems Win Senate, Assembly Races

Steve Hart | The Press Democrat | November 2, 2010

North Coast Democrats won in three Assembly races and one state Senate contest Tuesday.

Democrats Noreen Evans won 63 percent of the votes, Michael Allen won 63.6 percent of the votes, Wes Chesbro won 60.8 percent and Jared Huffman had 69.8 percent, with most absentee ballots and all precincts reporting.

“I think California is going to be very different than the rest of the country,” said Chesbro, whose opponent identified herself with the Tea Party. “People in California want practical solutions, and they see Democrats as the party of practical solutions.”

Evans, a three-term Assembly member from Santa Rosa, ran for the 2nd Senate District seat being vacated by Sen. Pat Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa. Evans ran against against Republican Lawrence Wiesner, a Santa Rosa accountant.

The sprawling North Coast Senate district stretches from Sonoma and Santa Rosa to Humboldt County, including Mendocino, Lake and Napa counties, and a portion of Solano.

Allen, a former Sonoma County labor union official, aide to Wiggins and Santa Rosa planning commissioner, ran to succeed Evans in the Assembly's 7th District, which includes Santa Rosa and Napa.

Republican Doris Gentry, a Napa businesswoman, and Libertarian Kathryn Moore, a sales associate from Santa Rosa, also ran.

Chesbro, a former state senator from Arcata, got his second term in the Assembly, representing the North Coast's First District.

His challenger was Republican Karen Brooks, a businesswoman from Bayside.

Huffman, a San Rafael attorney, ran for his third term in the Sixth Assembly District, covering Marin and southern Sonoma counties. He was challenged by Republican businessman Bob Stephens of San Rafael.

The four Democrats swamped their rivals in campaign fundraising and spending. Since the beginning of the year, they've spent more than $1 million, compared to $141,658 by their GOP opponents.

But the three incumbents used much of their money to help other Democrats in tight races in other parts of the state. Chesbro, Evans and Huffman donated tens of thousands to candidates for statewide, legislative and local offices, as well as the Democratic Party.