Incumbents managed to ward off any upsets in Tuesday's elections and Glendora stands to gain four new Democratic elected representatives thanks to statewide redistricting if the latest precinct results become official.
Veteran Congresswoman Judy Chu appeared headed for another term--this time in a new district--after taking a commanding lead in preliminary voting tallies Wednesday morning.
Chu (D-El Monte), the incumbent in the now-defunct 32nd Congressional District, took in 65 percent of the vote in the race for the newly created 27th Congressional district with 100 percent of precincts reporting.
"For 27 years, I have been privileged to serve the San Gabriel Valley in elected office," Chu said in a prepared statement. "Tonight, voters from this region placed their trust in me again. I will honor that trust by fighting for their needs each and every day in Congress. While my district has changed, my commitment to serve the people and my core values remain the same."
Chu's opponent, first-time political candidate and small business owner Jack Orswell (R-Monrovia), was resigned to defeat Wednesday morning.
"Obviously I'm not happy with the results but you have to accept what the voters did," Orswell said in a phone interview. "I'm real proud of the campaign."
Orswell said he has not yet decided whether he'll make another run at office.
"Right now I'm pretty tired as a result of the campaign and tonight is not the time to be making the decision," he said. "Give me 18 months to think aboutt it."
As for the 25th State Senate race, Carol Liu, D-La Cañada, held a significant lead over challenger Gilbert Gonzales. By 12:30 a.m., Liu had garned 61 percent of the vote, while Gonzales had earned 39 percent with 39 percent of precincts reporting.
And in the newly redrawn 48th Assembly District with 98 percent of the precincts reporting, Assemblyman Roger Hernandez, D-West Covina, managed to keep his seat with 58.89 percent despite recent physical abuse acusations. His Republican candidate Joe Gardner received 41.11 percent.
Hernandez called the abuse allegation "dirty campaign" politics and implicated Gardner's campaign and Baldwin Park councilmember Marlen Garcia.
"The need for the Gardner camp to stoop to this level by deceiving voters only makes me question what other tricks or cheats they will use just days before the general election," Hernandez said in a written statement. "I am appalled and saddened with the other candidate’s campaign and for Ms. Garcia to mention my personal dating life not only reflects poorly on her, but proves a personal attack."
Congresswoman Grace Napolitano also won by a commanding margin in the race for the 32nd Congressional District, taking in 65 percent of the vote to challenger David Miller's (R-Glendora) 34 percent with 100 percent of precincts reporting. Napolitano, who serves in the now re-ordered 38th Congressional district, did not return a call requesting comment.
At Miller's election party in Glendora Tuesday night, the mostly Republican supporters were disappointed with the Democratic lead.
"I'm from Ohio," said Miller's father, Jack. "I don't think I would want to go back."
"I think the next four years are going to be a stalemate," said David Miller. "The Senate is still controlled by the Democrats, the House is controlled by Republicans...We're essentially going to have what we had for the last two years, which is deadlock."
- Local Editor Hazel Lodevico-To'o contributed to this report.
