47th Congressional District Votes % Gary DeLong 74,952 44.6 Alan Lowenthal 93,047 55.4
406 of 406 precincts reporting.
7:00 a.m. Alan Lowenthal wins the Orange County-Long Beach Congressional seat with about an 11% majority, which is roughly how many more Democrats than Republicans are registered in the new U.S. House of Representatives District.
1:35 a.m. Update: This race for the U.S. House of Representatives seat straddling west Orange County and Long Beach remained a less than 5%-point race. It is one of several California congressional races in which both national parties were investing resources and attention, hoping to win the House majority.
State Senator Alan Lowenthal's election night party was a lively and very loud group at La Traviata, a downtown Long Beach restaurant. "I'm feeling confident, but it's still early," said Lowenthal, a Democrat.
Long Beach City Councilman Gary DeLong's election night party was also an upbeat affair, with streams of people collecting in the upstairs of the Long Beach Yacht Club overlooking Alamitos Bay. "I'm ahead by 2%, which means nothing right now," DeLong said, adding with a smile, "But two percent ahead is still better than 2% behind."
As of 8:50 p.m. From the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voter's Office, coupled with Orange County Registrar numbers, and 0 precincts reporting, DeLong holds a 929-vote lead, boosted by Orange County's absentee ballots.
2 p.m.: Candidate Alan Lowenthal fires a campaign worker in the Garden Grove office after she's accused of removing Stanton lawn signs for opponent Gary DeLong. Orange County Sheriff's Department confirms that a report was filed reporting campaign sign removal. More here.
Midday Tuesday: Candidate DeLong votes at the Masonic Temple in Park Estates, Long Beach. (see photo). Candidate Lowenthal said he voted by mail early.
Before sunrise on Tuesday, 33,523 voters had already cast their ballots in this race for the new U.S. House of Representatives seat spreading from Long Beach to Orange County. According to Eric Bauman, chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party, the early voting ballots broke down to 16,057 Democrats and 10,816 Republicans--and that's just in L.A. County.
Democratic State Senator Alan Lowenthal and Republican Long Beach City Councilman Gary DeLong face off in what is expected to be very competitive race.
The congressional seat was created via the redistricting process and its registered voters favor Democrats by about 10% but another 26% are undecided, or declined to state a party.
"DeLong has raised a lot of money to be sure," Bauman said, "and this race is still going to be closer than I prefer. But I think that Lowenthal's record and reputation in the Long Beach community is stellar and I think he's better known."
Yet DeLong won Orange County's voters in the 47th district, which includes Los Alamitos, Rossmoor, Stanton, Westminster and other cities. Like the presidential race, voter turn-out is considered the deciding factor.
John, I have been there. Take a high dose of a vitamin B, excedrin and a chocolate milk, then go back to bed until your head stops throbbing.
http://graphics.latimes.com/2012-election-results-california/#/us_house/5832
http://www.lbreport.com/news/nov12/eleclow.htm Long Beach, the city where DeLong is Councilman, actually serves as a "home town disadvantage." DeLong was forced to rely heavily upon republican weighed Orange County voters who were unfamiliar with DeLong's past actions and positions. But that won't be the case next time when DeLong runs for higher office. He won't be able to rely upon voter ignorance to get him elected. DeLong's name is now out there. He has been dubbed by his party as one of the "young guns." Now DeLong's positions, actions and treatment of residents will be under much greater scrutiny from a wider voter population and his own party. Most people seeking higher office would learn from and try to patch up their previous mistakes after such a beating in their home town. Not DeLong. In the 6 years I have known him, DeLong has reversed his position on multiple issues. Yet DeLong's has turned possible allies into enemies because he never went back to mend the fences after originally belittling those who opposed his original position. DeLong must address his ego and arrogance issues to survive in politics. It's not always “my way or the highway”. But does he have the capacity?
Nobody saw that coming ;-)
(Seven shots - Six misfires) http://www.gopyoungguns.com/candidates CA3 John Garamendi (D) 96,272 53.8% Kim Vann (R) 82,587 46.2% Cty: Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba CA9 Jerry McNerney (D) 85,352 54.1% Ricky Gill (R) 72,340 45.9% Cty: Contra Costa, Sacramento, San Joaquin CA21 John Hernandez (D) 32,967 40.1% David G. Valadao (R) 49,205 59.9% Cty: Fresno, Kern, KIngs, Tulare CA24 Lois Capps (D) 119,345 54.8% Abel Maldonado (R) 98,391 45.2% Cty: San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura CA26 Julia Brownley (D) 105,734 51.7% Tony Strickland (R) 98,635 48.3% Cty: Los Angeles, Ventura CA41 Mark Takano (D) 71,135 56.4% John Tavaglione (R) 55,081 43.6% Cty: Riverside CA47 Alan Lowenthal (D) 93,047 55.4% Gary DeLong (R) 74,952 44.6% Cty: Los Angeles, Orange - (Lois Capps was the only incumbent.)
http://www.lbreport.com/news/nov12/elecvots.htm
The following was posted as a comment on letsfixlosal.com when Edgar was still in the campaign... February 2, 2012 at 1:15 pm Actually, when you take out the debt of each campaign you see that Edgar and Kuykendall have raised about the same amount. That DeLong has been busting hump and has out-raised them by over 350% and that Lowenthal who has not really started fundraising as he has no Democratic Primary opponent is at about 250% better fundraising than Edgar and Kuykendall. So, in a +11(D) district Lowenthal should sweep in with the (D) vote to the General, leaving (if we go with the better financed candidate has the best chance of winning) the General as Lowenthal .v. DeLong. Also, remember that Edgar’s big “push” was that he was the OC GOP candidate. That has been shattered by DeLong getting endorsements from various OC representatives and high profile OC GOP. The only thing that actually has been surprising for me in the race to date is that Kuykendall, who has served in Congress for one term already, has not tapped into the funds available for the GOP from Washington lobbyists whom he should have connections with from his one term in Congress. I had given his connections to DC an advantage in fund raising, but he seems to be unable to produce such connections leaving him mired back in the pack with Edgar. [note that my %'s above are general as I didn't take the time to do the math, but just eyeballed the numbers]
Lowenthal is sane. Lowenthal was a popular elected State Senator without any scandalous baggage. Not what a GOP candidate needs going into an election with an 11 point deficit to make up. It took two rounds at B-1 Bob to take him out of Congress (the first (D) to run was as badly flawed as the Democrats could find), with the second attempt going to a hand counting of the ballots and claims of election fraud. Unless Lowenthal gets caught on film pole dancing at a transgender nightclub in drag (and considering it's Long Beach, that may not actually hurt his electoral chances) this will be his district until he determines the need to step down.
The original piece was published on letsfixlosal.com while Edgar was still in the hunt, but when he was losing traction fast. Note that I had already called it for DeLong before Edgar cut the deal with Royce to drop out from there and go to AD-72 (where he got beat by Travis Allen). Had Edgar NOT switched from (D) to (R) back when he decided that being an (R) in the OC was the only way to move up the political ladder, he could have actually ran and won as a (D) [or at least stood a chance]. But Edgar, always the opportunist, seems to only work on a short term strategy process so he did what he usually does, hurt himself more than anyone else could. DeLong's decision was based more on hope than on anything else. The hope that somehow he could somehow leverage the OC Republicans into a winning coalition with his limited support in LB from City Council. In order to win in LB he had to appear as a moderate (R). In order to excite the (R) base in OC he would have to appear as a TeaParty Nutcase. Can't be both (as we saw with his climate change denier BS). (D)+11... looks like I'll be represented by someone who actually shares some of my values for the first time in over 20 years.
http://www.lbreport.com/news/nov12/dellow.htm DeLong has yet to grant a media interview to provide his reaction to being defeated by Lowenthal in his own City Council district, as well as EVERY other district in Long Beach where DeLong is councilman. http://www.lbreport.com/news/nov12/elecvots.htm
Himself (first and foremost) and those who have their hands in his pockets.