Kevin de Leon to face Dianne Feinstein in Senate race
The Chronicle's SARAH RAVANI/JOE GAROFOLI: "Democrat Kevin de León secured the No. 2 spot in California’s U.S. Senate race, beating out Republican James Bradley to earn the right to face Sen. Dianne Feinstein one-on-one in the November general election, according to election returns released Wednesday."
"De León, a state senator from Los Angeles, placed second in Tuesday’s primary with 11.3 percent of the vote, surpassing Bradley, an Orange County businessman, who got 9 percent."
"De León faces a huge challenge — Feinstein took nearly 44 percent of the vote in Tuesday’s primary. She has served in the Senate since 1992 and is seeking a fifth full term."
READ MORE related to State Politics: Why Kevin de Leon thinks he can beat Dianne Feinstein -- Sacramento Bee's TARYN LUNA; California lawmaker's ouster breeds more recall talk -- AP's DON THOMPSON; Winning Democrat faces huge climb to unseat Tom McClintock in Congress -- McClatchy DC's EMILY CADEI; Rent control, data privacy and gas taxes for roads: Get ready for the next election -- Sacramento Bee's ALEXEI KOSEFF
Gavin Newsom's CA opponent is John Cox, but he's running against Trump
The Chronicle's JOE GAROFOLI: "Gavin Newsom and John Cox will be the ones on the Nov. 6 ballot for California governor, but the race is shaping up to be largely about someone else — President Trump."
"Newsom mentioned Trump twice in his victory speech Tuesday, which was two more times than he invoked the name of his Republican opponent in the general election — though he did allude to Cox as a “foot soldier in Trump’s army."
READ MORE related to Gubernatorial: Where California would head if Gavin Newsom is governor -- Sacramento Bee's ANGELA HART; Newsom ran a brilliant campaign, but voters deserve some details by November -- LA Times's GEORGE SKELTON
Flipping the House: California Democrats avoid election disaster
The Chronicle's JOHN WILDERMUTH: "California Democrats are likely to get their chance to flip seven GOP-held congressional seats in November, avoiding what Democratic leaders feared would be a top-two primary shutout in some of those districts."
"Although there are thousands of uncounted ballots in those contests that could shift the final results, Democrats are hanging on to the runner-up spots in every place they had hoped to turn a red district blue."
READ MORE related to Primary Election: CA voters rubber stamp every prop on primary ballot -- except one -- The Chronicle's MELODY GUTIERREZ; Election day recap: A late-night surprise and striking results -- The Chronicle's TRAPPER BYRNE; Denham's lower primary numbers could point to trouble with conservative base -- McClatchy DC's KATE IRBY
SF mayor's race: Leno a hair ahead of Breed as ranked-choice vote tally continues
The Chronicle's DOMINIC FRACASSA: "Mark Leno and his supporters remained cautiously optimistic Wednesday about his chances of becoming San Francisco’s next mayor, as he maintained the slimmest of leads."
"After trailing Supervisor London Breed by 10 points most of Tuesday evening, Leno pulled ahead of his chief rival in the early hours of Wednesday morning, following the last update of preliminary voting results from the city’s Department of Elections. After the ranked-choice votes were sorted, Leno had 50.42 percent to Breed’s 49.58 percent."
Persky recall called victory for 'girls and women everywhere'
The Chronicle's BOB EGELKO: "The organizer of the successful recall campaign against a Santa Clara County judge over his sentencing of a Stanford student convicted of attempted rape says the county’s voters have condemned “impunity for high-status perpetrators of sexual assault and domestic violence.”
“This victory is for girls and women everywhere,” Michele Dauber, a Stanford law professor, said in a statement after Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky was removed from office Tuesday by a resounding 60 percent vote."
Why challenges to DA in state fell short
The Chronicle's RACHEL SWAN: "The idea was shrewd: Chip away at an unfair criminal justice system by starting at the county level, electing district attorneys who would hold police accountable and put fewer minorities in jail."
"But the effort by Black Lives Matter and other social justice groups — with help from a few left-leaning billionaires — mostly sputtered in California. As ballots rolled in Tuesday night, progressive challengers for the top prosecutor’s seat stumbled in Alameda, Sacramento and San Diego counties. In Contra Costa, the liberal incumbent is still short of getting the majority vote she needed to avoid a run-off in November."
READ MORE related to DA Elections: Big spending by George Soros and liberal groups fails to sway DA races in California -- LA Times's ABBIE VANSICKLE/PAIGE ST JOHN
SF Prop. C: child-care tax measure still not decided
The Chronicle's HAMED ALEAZIZ: "A San Francisco measure to increase tax on commercial leases to raise money for child care leads by a slim margin, according to election results released Wednesday afternoon."
"Proposition C, which needed a majority to pass, was ahead with 50.31 percent voting in favor. The measure would provide the city with enough funds to help more than 2,400 children on a wait list for subsidies."
READ MORE related to Local Ballots: SF voters give thumbs down on menthol smokes -- Fairwarning's PAUL FELDMAN in Capitol Weekly; Sacramento County has 200,000-plus votes to count, giving some candidates sliver of hope -- Sacramento Bee's DIANA LAMBERT/DARRELL SMITH
Feds plan mass prosecution of illegal border-crossing cases in San Diego, attorneys say
LA Times's RICHARD MAROSI: "U.S. border authorities, in a significant escalation of the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy, are planning to introduce a fast-track prosecution program to criminally charge more people who cross the border into California illegally, according to attorneys in San Diego."
"Under the program, called Operation Streamline, migrants will be moved through the criminal justice system in group hearings, with cases handled in a matter of hours, from arraignment to sentencing."
In Berry Country, California farmers get inoovative to save groundwater
Water Deeply's KIRSTEN JAMES: "RED AND PURPLE berries ripening in vast fields. The sun shining in a blue sky as workers in broad-brimmed hats pluck the best berries from the strawberry tufts and blackberry vines."
"The bucolic scene in Ventura County along the Southern California coast belies the exacting science and sharp business decisions involved in the farming underway here, where many grow for Driscoll’s Berries and water availability can make or break a season."
"Driscoll’s and its farmers don’t leave much to chance, having weathered drought conditions through much of this decade. And now they’re working on the next big challenge – implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and working to recharge the aquifer through a water recycling program."
Regional Measure 3: Work on transportation improvements could start next year
The Chronicle's MICHAEL CABANATUAN: "With Regional Measure 3 victorious, Bay Area commuters can look forward to $4.5 billion of transportation improvements — from a BART extension to Santa Clara to completion of Highway 101’s Marin-Sonoma Narrows and to an expansion of the region’s ferry system and express-lane network."
"But eager commuters shouldn’t expect to see earthmovers and concrete trucks right away because what gets funded — and built — isn’t as simple as going down a list and getting things done one item at a time. Projects considered shovel-ready — with construction and financing plans completed — will probably be first in line for funding."
"Voters approved the nine-county ballot measure Tuesday with 54 percent of the vote. The measure, which required a simple majority vote overall, will raise tolls on seven state-owned bridges by $3 over the next six years with $1 increases in 2019, 2022 and 2025 to pay for a list of proposed improvements to address what is considered one of the Bay Area’s most nettlesome problems."
READ MORE related to Transportation: California's gas tax hike cost a lawmaker his job. Critics say repeal is next -- LA Times's PATRICK MCGREEVY
No, Californians, you won't be find $1000 if you shower and do laundry the same day
Sacramento Bee's RYAN SABALOW/DALE KASLER: "No, Californians, it's not against the law to shower and do laundry on the same day — even though loud voices in the conservative blogosphere are claiming it is."
"Taking aim at two water-conservation laws signed last week by Gov. Jerry Brown, a conspiratorial far-right financial blog called Zero Hedge reported Sunday that Californians could be fined $1,000 a day if they bathe and wash their clothes on the same day."
""If you don't plan to comply it's going to be way cheaper to move," the blog post stated."
More than half of US households have ditched landline phones
LA Times's TRACEY LIEN: "The landline telephone — curly corded, cord-free, rotary or with chunky plastic buttons — used to be a fixture of American homes."
"But like most analog technology, it’s rapidly going the way of the dinosaur. More than half of U.S. households — 53.9% — rely entirely on cellphones, according to a survey from the National Center for Health Statistics, an arm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
Stormy Daniels sues her former lawyer, accusing him of colluding with Trump attorney Michael Cohen
LA Times's MICHAEL FINNEGAN: "Stormy Daniels sued her former lawyer Keith Davidson on Wednesday, saying he went behind her back to advance President Trump’s interests in the scandal over their alleged affair."
"Daniels called Davidson a puppet of the president and his attorney Michael Cohen, who paid her $130,000 to keep quiet about what she says was a one-night stand with Trump in 2006. Citing text messages between Davidson and Cohen, she accused her lawyer of colluding with Trump’s attorney to her detriment."
