Assemblyman Bill Monning is vying for the 17th state Senate seat effectively vacated when Sam Blakeslee decided not to run again.
The 17th District encompasses all of Santa Cruz and San Luis Obispo counties, nearly half of Monterey County and a little more than 10 percent of Santa Clara County.
Monning and Republican Larry Beaman will square off in the November general election. In Santa Cruz County, Monning won about 73 percent of the vote, nearly 64 percent in Monterey County and almost 59 percent in Santa Clara County. That compares with Beaman’s 26 percent in Santa Cruz County, 36 percent in Monterey County and 41 percent in Santa Clara County.
Under rules approved by voters in 2010, the top two candidates in Assembly races – as well as several other state contests – advance, regardless of party affiliation.
In a district that leans heavily Democratic, Monning now moves toward November bolstered by Tuesday’s showing. The Carmel Democrat served two terms in the state Assembly, where he chaired the health care committee.
“We were encouraged by early results in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey counties,” he said. “Though we both go to November regardless, by me presenting strong numbers here in this primary, we’d expect a higher Democratic presentation in the general election.”
Monning expressed his gratitude for all the volunteers who worked on his campaign, and said he was keeping a close eye on school funding ballot measures in Santa Cruz and Scotts Valley, which he lobbied for.
They’re “critical to our local education,” he said.
Elsewhere in the region, incumbent Democrat Assemblyman Luis Alejo and former Watsonville mayor won the majority of votes cast in the race for the redrawn 30th District Assembly seat, defeating Republican Rob Bernosky, a Hollister resident who billed himself as the “practical conservative.”
In the Democrat-majority district, Alejo pulled in 63 percent of the votes in Santa Cruz County, about 63 percent in Monterey County and about 53 percent in Santa Clara County. That compares with Bernosky’s win in Santa Cruz County of about 36 percent of the votes, 36 percent in Monterey County and nearly 47 percent in Santa Clara County.
Alejo, 38, is a Watsonville High School graduate who holds a master’s degree in education from Harvard University and a law degree from UC Davis. Bernosky, 48, works as the chief financial officer for a food manufacturer. He holds a degree in business administration from the University of Delaware.
State Senate District 17
Santa Cruz County
Bill Monning 28,965 73.42%
Larry Beaman 10,4020 26.37%
183 of 183 precincts reporting
Monterey County
Bill Monning 15,106 63.72%
Larry Beaman 8,600 36.28%
114 of 114 precincts reporting
Santa Clara County
Bill Monning 10,639 58.80%
Larry Beaman 7,453 41.20%
119 of 119 precincts reporting
Assembly District 30
Santa Cruz County
Luis Alejo 2,461 63.10%
Rob Bernosky 1,414 36.26%
23 of 23 precincts reporting
Monterey County
Luis Alejo 8,116 63.47%
Rob Bernosky 4,672 36.53%
95 of 95 precincts reporting
Santa Clara County
Luis Alejo 5,037 53.40%
Rob Bernosky 4,395 46.60%
62 of 62Â precincts reporting
