United_States_Senate_election_in_California,_2018

2018 United States Senate election in California

2018 United States Senate election in California

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The 2018 United States Senate election in California took place on November 6, 2018, to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent California, concurrently with other elections to the United States Senate, elections to the United States House of Representatives, and various state and local elections.

Quick Facts Turnout, Candidate ...

Under California's non-partisan blanket primary law, all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party. In the primary, voters may vote for any candidate, regardless of their party affiliation. In the California system, the top two finishers — regardless of party — advance to the general election in November, even if a candidate receives a majority of the votes cast in the primary election. Washington and Louisiana have similar "jungle primary" style processes for U.S. Senate elections, as does Mississippi for U.S. Senate special elections.

The candidate filing deadline was March 8, 2018, and the primary election was held on June 5, 2018.[1]

Democratic incumbent Dianne Feinstein won re-election in 2012 with 63% of the vote, taking the record for the most popular votes in any U.S. Senate election in history, with 7.86 million votes.[2] Feinstein, at the time, was the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. She turned 85 years old in 2018, leading some to speculate that she would retire in January 2019,[3][4] as her long-time colleague Barbara Boxer did in January 2017. However, Feinstein ran for reelection to her fifth full term, winning 44.2% of the vote in the top-two primary; she faced Democratic challenger Kevin de León in the general election, who won 12.1% of the primary vote.[5] For the second time since direct elections to the Senate began after the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment in 1913, no Republican appeared on the general election ballot for the U.S. Senate in California. The highest Republican finisher in the primary won only 8.3 percent of the vote, and the 10 Republicans only won 31.2 percent of the vote among them.

In the general election, Feinstein defeated de León by an eight-point margin, 54% to 46%. This was Feinstein's closest election since 1994, as well as her last run for elected office, as she died in office in September 2023.[6]

Candidates

Democratic Party

Advanced to general

Eliminated in primary

  • Adrienne Nicole Edwards, Vice Chairwoman on the HDT Community Development Foundation board[11]
  • Pat Harris, attorney[12][13]
  • Alison Hartson, national director of Wolf PAC[14][15]
  • David Hildebrand, legislative analyst[16][17]
  • Herbert G. Peters, retired aerospace engineer and candidate for U.S. Senate in California in 2016[11]
  • Douglas Howard Pierce[11]
  • Gerald Plummer[11]
  • Donnie O. Turner, Air Force veteran[11]

Withdrawn

Declined

Republican Party

Declared

  • Arun K. Bhumitra, businessman[11]
  • James P. Bradley, businessman[26]
  • Jack Crew, bus driver[26]
  • Erin Cruz, published author[27]
  • Rocky De La Fuente, entrepreneur and perennial candidate[28]
  • Jerry Joseph Laws, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016[26]
  • Patrick Little, neo-Nazi and Holocaust denier[29] (Denounced by California Republican Party)
  • Kevin Mottus, candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016[11]
  • Mario Nabliba, scientist[11]
  • Tom Palzer, activist, retired city planner and candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2016[26]
  • Paul Allen Taylor, businessman[30]

Withdrawn

Declined

Libertarian Party

Declared

  • Derrick Michael Reid, retired attorney and engineer and candidate for president in 2016[44]

Green Party

Declared

  • Michael V. Ziesing (write-in)[45]

Peace and Freedom Party

Declared

  • John Thompson Parker[26]

No party preference

Declared

Withdrawn

Notes

  1. No ballot access: Constitution Party and Socialist Equality Party. Don J. Grundmann (C) and David Moore (SEP) appear on ballot as "No party preference".[26]

Primary election

Endorsements

Dianne Feinstein (D)
Former U.S. President
Former U.S. Vice President
U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
State-level officials
Local-level officials
Organizations
Newspapers
Kevin de León (D)
Individuals
  • Tom Steyer, billionaire, hedge fund manager, philanthropist, environmentalist, liberal activist, and fundraiser[80]
U.S. Representatives
State-level officials
Local-level officials
Organizations
Pat Harris (D)
Organizations
  • Tri-Valley Democratic Club
  • F.U.N Progressives
Individuals
Alison Hartson (D)
Individuals
Organizations
  • Justice Democrats[98]
  • Demand Universal Healthcare
  • Our Revolution San Joaquin County
  • Our Revolution Lake County
  • Our Revolution West Marin
  • ProgressivesUnite
  • California for Bernie 2020
  • The Young Turks[99]
David Hildebrand (D)
Local-level officials
  • Gayle McLaughlin, former Mayor of Richmond, candidate for Lieutenant Governor[100]
  • Jovanka Beckles, former Richmond City Council member, candidate for the State Assembly - District 15[101]
  • Noah Phillips, Deputy District Attorney for Sacramento County, candidate for Sacramento County District Attorney[101]
  • Porsche Middleton, Citrus Heights Planning Commissioner, candidate for the Citrus Heights City Council[101]
  • Vinnie Bacon, Vice Mayor of Fremont, Fremont City Council member[101]
Professionals
  • Stephen Jaffe, Employment Attorney, candidate for U.S. Congress[101]
  • Michael Bracamontes, Civil Rights Attorney, former candidate for California Governor[101]
  • Stephen Seager, Mental Health Expert, Author, Documentary Filmmaker[101]
  • Kevin Murray, Professor of Politics, Humboldt State University[101]
Organizations
  • Candidates with a Contract[102]
  • Wellstone Progressive Democrats of Sacramento - Our Revolution[101]
  • Courageous Resistance of Humboldt - Our Revolution[101]
  • Our Revolution West Marin[101]
  • Yolo County Progressives - Our Revolution[101]
  • Feel the Bern Democratic Club of Los Angeles[101]
  • Labor Campaign for Single Payer[101]
  • Not Me Us - We are the Revolution[101]
  • Bernie Sanders Megagroup 2020[101]
  • Ventura County Activists for Bernie Sanders 2020 #OurRevolution[101]
  • Stanislaus County for Bernie 2020[101]
  • The People's News[101]
James Bradley (R)
Erin Cruz (R)
Individuals
Organizations
Patrick Little (R)
Politicians
  • David Duke, white nationalist and former Louisiana State Representative[110]
Derrick Michael Reid (L)
Organizations
John Thompson Parker (PFP)

Fundraising

More information Campaign finance reports as of May 16, 2018, Candidate ...

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Hypothetical polling
with Timothy Charles Kalemkarian, Caren Lancona, John Melendez, and Stephen Schrader
with Tom Steyer
with John Cox
with Xavier Becerra, Kevin Faulconer, Brad Sherman, Eric Swalwell, and Ashley Swearingin

Results

Primary results by county
  Feinstein
  •   10–20%
  •   20–30%
  •   30–40%
  •   40–50%
  •   50–60%
  •   60–70%
  Feinstein/Bradley tie
  •   10–20%
More information Party, Candidate ...

Democratic candidates won a combined total of 4,231,444, Republican candidates 2,216,223 votes, and other candidates 223,053 votes.

General election

Debates

Endorsements

Dianne Feinstein (D)
Former Executive Branch officials
U.S. Senators
U.S. Representatives
State-level officials
Local-level officials
Organizations
Newspapers
Kevin de León (D)
Individuals
  • Tom Steyer, billionaire, hedge fund manager, philanthropist, environmentalist, liberal activist, and fundraiser[80]
U.S. Representatives
State-level officials
Local-level officials
Organizations

Fundraising

More information Campaign finance reports as of October 19, 2018, Candidate ...

Predictions

Because of California's top-two runoff system, the seat was guaranteed to be won/held by a Democrat since the initial primary produced two Democratic candidates.

More information Source, Ranking ...
  1. Highest rating given

Polling

More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
More information Poll source, Date(s) administered ...
Hypothetical polling
with Feinstein, de León, and Tom Steyer
with Feinstein, de León, and John Cox

Results

More information Party, Candidate ...

The race had an undervote of around 1.3 million votes compared to the gubernatorial election, likely by Republican voters choosing neither candidate. De León won many of the same counties and congressional districts won by Republican gubernatorial nominee John Cox, as many voters may have expressed opposition to the incumbent senator. No county voted for both Feinstein and Cox. Congressional districts 39, 45, and 48 were the only congressional districts that voted for both Feinstein and Cox.[144][145]

Results by county

Results by county. Blue represents counties won by Feinstein. Cyan represents counties won by de León.[146]

More information County, Feinstein # ...

By congressional district

Feinstein won 39 of the 53 congressional districts. De Leon won 14, including seven held by Republicans and seven held by Democrats.[147]

More information District, De Leon ...

References

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  2. Charles Mahtesian (November 26, 2012). "Feinstein's record: 7.3 million votes". Politico. Politico. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  3. "Statement of Vote" (PDF). Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  4. LeBlanc, Clare; Foran, Paul (September 29, 2023). "Dianne Feinstein, longest-serving female US senator in history, dies at 90 | CNN Politics". CNN. Retrieved November 7, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Bowman, Bridget (October 15, 2017). "De Leon to Challenge Feinstein in California Senate Race". Retrieved January 20, 2018 via www.RollCall.com.
  6. Shelbourne, Mallory (October 15, 2017). "Calif. Dem announces Feinstein challenge". The Hill. Retrieved January 20, 2018.
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  52. Paul Taylor (R) 4%, Other Republicans 9%, Other Democrats 6%, All other candidates 2%, Undecided 25%
  53. Other 6%, Undecided 32%
  54. Paul Taylor (R) with 2%; Adrienne Nicole Edwards (D), David Hildebrand (D), Herbert Peters (D), Douglas Howard Pierce (D), Arun Bhumitra (R), Jack Crew (R), Kevin Mottus (R), Mario Nabliba (R), Tom Palzer (R), Derrick Michael Reid (L), Ling Ling Shi (NPP), none of the above with 1%; all other candidates 0%; Undecided with 23%
  55. Arun Bhumitra (R) 4%; Jack Crew (R) 3%; Adrienne Nicole Edwards (D), Don J. Grundmann (C), Kevin Mottus (R), Tom Palzer (R), Douglas Howard Pierce (D), Derrick Michael Reid (L), and Paul Taylor (R) with 1%; Colleen Shea Fernald (NPP), Rash Ghosh (NPP), Tim Gildersleeve (NPP), Michael Fahmy Girgis (NPP), Jason Hanania (NPP), David Hildebrand (D), Jerry Laws (R), David Moore (SEP), Mario Nabliba (R), Lee W. Olson (NPP), John Thompson Parker (PFP), Herbert Peters (D), Gerald Plummer (D), Ling Ling Shi (NPP), Donnie Turner (D) with 0%; Undecided with 21%
  56. Other with 5%, Undecided with 36%
  57. Herbert Peters (D), Douglas Howard Pierce (D), Donnie Turner (D), Derrick Michael Reid (L), John Thompson Parker (PFP), Arun Bhumitra (R), Jerry Laws (R), Mario Nabliba (R), Paul Taylor (R), and David Moore (SEP) with 1%; Adrienne Nicole Edwards (D), David Hildebrand (D), Gerald Plummer (D), Jack Crew (R), Kevin Mottus (R), Tom Palzer (R), Colleen Shea Fernald (NPP), Rash Ghosh (NPP), Tim Gildersleeve (NPP), Michael Fahmy Girgis (NPP), Don J. Grundmann (C), Jason Hanania (NPP), Lee W. Olson (NPP), and Ling Ling Shi (NPP) with 0%; Other 0%; Not voting 0%; Undecided with 41%
  58. John Melendez* (D) 3%, David Hildebrand (D) 2%, Undecided 16%. *Withdrawn
  59. John Melendez* (D) 4%, Other 2%, Undecided 17%. *Withdrawn.
  60. Other Republicans 8%, Other non-Republicans 6%, Undecided 35%
  61. Other with 2, Undecided with 39%
  62. Other with 3%, Undecided with 33%
  63. Other/Undecided with 32%
  64. Other with 1%, Undecided with 33%
  65. Not voting with 29%, Undecided with 17%
  66. Alison Hartson (D) with 3%David Hildebrand (D) 2%; Donald Adams (R), Jerry Leon Carroll (NPP), Pat Harris (D), Richard Mead (NPP), Douglas Howard Pierce (D), Steve Stokes (D), and Michael Ziesing (G, write-in) with 1%; Clifton Roberts (H) 0%; Other with 1%; Undecided with 29%
  67. Alison Hartson (D) with 3%; Pat Harris (D), David Hildebrand (D), Clifton Roberts (H), Steve Stokes (D), and Michael Ziesing (G, write-in) with 1%; Donald Adams (R), Jerry Leon Carroll (NPP), Michael Eisen (NPP), Tim Gildersleeve (NPP), Charles Junior Hodge (NPP), Richard Mead (NPP), and Douglas Howard Pierce with 0%; Undecided with 30%
  68. Stephen Schrader (R) 4%; Pat Harris (D), Alison Hartson (D), John Melendez (D), and Michael Ziesing (G, write-in) with 2%; David Hildebrand (D) and Steve Stokes (D) with 1%; Donald Adams (R), Jery Leon Carroll (NPP), Michael Eisen (NPP), Tim Gildersleeve, Charles Junior Hodge (NPP), Richard Mead (NPP), Douglas Howard Pierce (D), and Clifton Roberts (H) with 0%; Undecided with 30%
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