A Surprise Win In California For The Democrats-- Or Just Another Missed Opportunity?

Calvert & Bill Hedrick

Most political observers and activists-- DWT included-- missed an opportunity to oust one of the more heinous and corrupt right-wing Republicans in California. We've certainly talked about GOP pervert and pip-squeak Ken Calvert, who has been misrepresenting the portions of Orange County and Riverside that make up CA-44. With thousands of votes still to be counted, grassroots Democrat Bill Hedrick has come tantalizingly close-- in a district with a PVI of R+6!-- to taking out Duke Cunningham buddy Calvert.

Bill Hedrick 85,039 (48.6%)
Ken Calvert 89,679 (51.4%)

Yes, it's still too close to call at this point, even if the sleazy and reactionary Calvert in still ahead and likely to prevail.

Calvert's low vote tally in his home county is indicative of a shift in voter registration in favor of Democrats. The fast-growing area has seen increases in both parties in recent months, but the Democrats are growing at a faster clip than the GOP, voter registration figures show.

Republicans still hold a slight edge over Democrats in the Riverside County portion of the district, with roughly 5,000 more registered GOP voters than Democrats.

But Hedrick, perhaps aided by the excitement surrounding President-elect Barack Obama, was ahead by almost 6,000 votes in Riverside County, according to the Riverside County registrar of voters. In conservative south Orange County, where all of the precincts had reported, Calvert trounced Hedrick by more than 11,000 votes.

Meanwhile, the deep red GOP district that Democrats really did contest, CA-04 way in the northeastern part of the state, is even closer-- a real cliff-hanger. With over 40,000 votes uncounted only 451 votes separate Charlie Brown from far right extremist Tom McClintock (with 311,091 counted). McClintock is coming in with high power Republican lawyers who have experience stealing election (going way back to Florida, 2000). Charlie needs help and Blue America is encouraging people to donate whatever they can as soon as they can.