California voters -- what there were of them -- changed California's term-limits law by allowing lawmakers to serve up to 12 years in a single house. They also, narrowly and amid a $47 million advertising blitz by the tobacco industry -- rejected boosting cigarette taxes by $1 a pack. And up and down the state, the impact of the top-two primary was being felt.
First, from the Chronicle's Marisa Lagos: "A measure to change California's strict term limits for state lawmakers won big Tuesday night, two decades after the state's original law was approved by voters."
"Proposition 28, supported by a coalition of labor, business and good-government groups and the state Democratic Party, will reduce the time a citizen can serve in the Legislature from 14 years to 12, but allow a member to serve the entire time in one house. Under the 1990 ballot initiative that created legislative term limits in California, lawmakers were allowed to serve no more than six years in the Assembly and eight years in the state Senate."
"Prop. 28 took a big lead early Tuesday night and held it, winning by close to a 2-to-1 ratio. The measure had been polling well - it led by 22 points in a Field Poll released last week."
Amd on the tobacco tax, from CNN: "The final tally was 50.8% against the proposal compared with 49.2% in favor of Proposition 29, which supporters said would have raised $735 million a year. About three-quarters of that money raised would go to cancer research."
"Supporters had touted it as an initiative to help those with cancer..."
"The opposition in California was fueled by a huge influx of cash from big tobacco. About $47 million was raised in efforts -- including TV advertising -- to defeat "Prop. 29," including $27.5 million from Philip Morris and $11 million from R.J. Reynolds, according to figures from MapLight, a nonpartisan research firm."
If you're already tired of the Berman-Sherman congressional race, you better get used to it: Brad Sherman and Howard Berman, the top two vote-getters in the 30th Congressional District, will confront each other again in November.
From the AP's Michael Blood: "After more than $5 million in spending, Reps. Howard Berman and Brad Sherman were closely matched in their primary election race for the 30th District seat in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley."
"Sherman grabbed about 40 percent of the vote, to 34 percent for Berman, with 18 percent of precincts reporting. Several Republicans trailed far back, meaning the two Democrats would face off again in November under the state's retooled primary election rules."
"Because of those changes voters in the strongly Democratic district, and perhaps elsewhere in the state, will face a dilemma — their choices in November will be two candidates from the same party."
Berman and Sherman weren't the only Democrats who will be facing each other in November. Up and down the state, the top-two primary is forcing similar outcomes, especially in the Bay Area.
From the Chronicle's Wyatt Buchanan: "But California's new "top two" primary, where the top vote-getters move on to the election regardless of party, appeared to be setting the stage for several Democrat versus Democrat battles in November. The Bay Area is a hot spot for such results."
"Late returns showed as many as six races for the Senate and Assembly in the fall election may be between two Democrats, including races in San Francisco, San Jose, the Peninsula and in the East Bay. In the contest for a San Jose Senate seat, only two Democrats were on the ballot: Assemblyman Jim Beall, D-San Jose, and Joe Coto, a former member of the Assembly. Beall was leading in the race."
"Another Senate race on the Peninsula could also feature two Democrats in the November election, as three Democrats and one Libertarian were the only candidates on the ballot. In early results, Assemblyman Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, had more than twice the votes of Sally Lieber, a former Democratic Assembly member, who was coming in second."
