"Our state’s great wealth helps explain why you’ve probably never heard of John Cox, even though the San Diego area venture capitalist, CPA and lawyer is worth about $200 million and long has been active in politics, first in his native state of Illinois and now in California. He’s running for governor and because he’s a Republican, political experts don’t give him a snowball’s chance on a July day in Fresno of succeeding Jerry Brown. Still, I think there is a slight opening for Cox to surpass expectations and even pull off an upset. Stranger things have happened." - Bill McEwan
Within its Democratic supermajority, California’s 80-member state Assembly includes business-friendly moderates known as “Mod Dems” who heed the state Chamber of Commerce’s list of “job-killer” bills. And then there are the Democratic legislators from swing districts in more conservative parts of the state. With their seats on the line every two years, Assembly members are in constant campaign-mode.
The election has been a proxy war between wealthy charter school advocates and public employee unions. Charter supporters appeared to secure their first-ever majority on the seven-member Los Angeles Board of Education, a move that could accelerate the already-rapid expansion of charter schools across the city. Election day brought to an end a more than $14-million campaign fueled by outside spending.
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