Morgan Hill – Democratic challenger Jerry McNerney led GOP Rep. Richard Pombo in California’s most hotly contested House race Tuesday as surging Democrats won control of the House of Representatives
San Francisco Democrat Nancy Pelosi was in line to become the first woman House speaker in history. And Congressman Mike Honda cruised to an easy victory to hold onto his District 15 seat.
Pombo, a powerful and longtime incumbent who has cruised to victory in years past, confronted an unexpectedly sharp re-election threat in a dangerous year for Republicans.
With all 54 precincts reporting, McNerney received 6,399 votes or 61 percent and Pombo garnered 4,136 votes or 39 percent.
California’s other House districts didn’t offer serious contests. The current breakdown of the state’s delegation is 33 Democrats and 20 Republicans. Pombo, chairman of the House Resources Committee and environmentalists’ public enemy No. 1 for his pro-industry legislating, faced a rematch with wind-energy engineer McNerney. Pombo easily beat the little-known Democrat two years ago in his district straddling the San Joaquin Valley and the eastern San Francisco Bay area. This time around, McNerney had help from big-spending environmental groups, new questions about Pombo’s ethics and a national political mood going Democrats’ way.
National Republicans spent more than $1 million to help Pombo hang onto his district, where the GOP advantage is slipping as Bay Area commuters move in. But the Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and other groups spent at least that much against him, incensed over Pombo’s fundraising from industry as he aimed to rewrite species protections and increase oil drilling.
Meanwhile, in California’s U.S. Senate race, Democrat Dianne Feinstein easily beat Republican Dick Mountjoy in her bid for a third full term.
Congressman Honda (D-San Jose) cruised into a fourth term in his District 15 seat with 77 percent of the vote. As of press time, he led his Republican challenger, Raymond L. Chukwu, by about 40,000 votes.
