SD 37 results

Assemblyman Bill Emmerson lead six other candidates for the opportunity to replace for St. Sen John Benoit in Sacramento. Unfortunately, his 41.6 percent was not sufficient to nullify the requirement for a general election between candidates representing the major parties.

Emmerson will confront Democrat Justin Blake and American Independent candidate Matt Monica on June 8. In that election, the winner only needs a plurality of the total vote to earn victory.

On Wednesday,if one candidate collected more than 50 percent of the total vote, the seat would have been filled. While Emmerson had nearly twice the number of votes as Russ Bogh, it was less than the 50 percent threshold; consequently the campaign continues for another two months.

Emmerson with the help of nearly $730,000 for independent expenditures reaped nearly 42 percent of the vote.. More than 90 percent bankrolled by California Dental Association Political Action Committees Combined with Bogh's 22 percent, the two Republicans collected nearly 64 percent (or two-thirds) of the total vote.

Turnout of 90,000 voters was just more than 20 percent of the district's registered voters. In the 2008 presidential election, more than 70 percent of voters cast a ballot. But compared to recent special elections, the SD 37 voters were active. In two 2009 special elections, turnout was less than 8 percent.

Although Emmerson outpolled all candidates. The combined voted of the next three highest candidates would barely equal Emmerson’s total.

Nevertheless, the candidate that was originally labeled a carpetbagger, one who rented a room from a friend, can now settle comfortably into the 37^th District. While Republicans hold a slim 4 percent lead in registration, people willing to cast a ballot yesterday were more than three times likely to connect the arrow of a Republican candidate.

Even Bogh who lagged far behind Emmerson in fund raising was significantly more successful than Blake who starts the general election as a significant underdog.

Last Updated: April 13, 2010 11:42 PM

Registration & Turnout

468,233 Voters

	Vote Count	Percent
Vote by Mail Reporting Turnout	68,953	14.73%
Precincts Reporting Turnout	21,141	4.52%
Total	90,094	19.24%

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State Senator 37th District

527/527 100.00%

	Vote Count	Percent
REP - BILL EMMERSON	36,507	41.61%
REP - RUSS BOGH	19,247	21.94%
DEM - JUSTIN BLAKE	12,253	13.97%
DEM - ANNA NEVENIC	7,524	8.58%
DEM - ARTHUR BRAVO GUERRERO	6,283	7.16%
AIP - MATT MONICA	3,884	4.43%
REP - DAVID W. PETERS	2,036	2.32%

Bogh announces for SD 37

Former Assemblyman, now businessman, Russ Bogh is officially running for the State Senate seat of Riverside County Supervisor John J. Benoit.

Bogh confirmed his intentions to file for Benoit's former seat in a phone call earlier today. Yesterday, he wrote a piece for FlashReport explaining his intent to be the conservative in the race.

The primary is April 13, 2010 and the general election will be June 8, 2010. Bogh and Benoit faced off in a competitive Republican primary during 2008. Benoit's victory was larger than expected. But Bogh is still well known through the senate district. The first announced candidate to replace Benoit, Assemblyman Bill Emmerson, has just moved to the district in order to qualify for eleccion.

Benoit resigned from the St. Senate on Dec. 1, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed him to replace former 4th District Supervisor Roy Wilson, who died in August.