Free Republic

LOS ANGELES — California Democrats have increased their legislative clout despite a Republican backlash that prevented their capturing the supermajority they have long sought in the state Senate. Jerry Brown's elevation to governor and voters' approval of Proposition 25 Tuesday will further erode Republicans' influence. The ballot measure lowers the vote needed to pass a budget to a simple majority, down from the current two-thirds supermajority. . . . Sen. Jenny Oropeza, D-Long Beach, won re-election in the heavily Democratic 28th Senate District despite her death Oct. 20, setting up a special election...

Republicans on Monday accused the state Democratic Party and Secretary of State Debra Bowen of using "illegal campaign tactics" to influence voters to cast a ballot for late Sen. Jenny Oropeza in a Long Beach state Senate district. Democrat Oropeza died unexpectedly last month but remains as a candidate for re-election on today's ballot. The California Democratic Party recently sent Democratic and decline-to-state voters in the district a letter from Bowen, a Democrat, outlining what would happen if Oropeza wins. "Jenny Oropeza's name is on the ballot. You have the right to vote for her," the letter reads. "If you...

Democrats urge reelection of dead Long Beach senator October 29, 2010 | 3:18 pm A week after the death of state Sen. Jenny Oropeza (D-Long Beach), Democrats have sent mailers to residents urging them to vote to reelect her. That would trigger a special election and give the party a chance to put up a new candidate. The mailers featuring Secretary of State Debra Bowen and Democratic Party general counsel Martha Escutia do not say explicitly that Oropeza has died or that a vote for her will allow another Democrat to be considered. "Senator Jenny Oropeza’s illness has been a...

It might not seem unusual for the state Democratic Party to shower a district with mail pieces promoting an incumbent member one week before Election Day. But one member for whom they are now spending, Democratic Sen. Jenny Oropeza, died unexpectedly last week at age 53. State law prohibits replacing a candidate on the ballot or calling a special election to fill a vacant office this close to a scheduled election. So the name of the late Long Beach senator remains on the ballot against Republican John Stammreich and Libertarian David Ruskin. If Oropeza wins in the safe Democratic district,...

Democratic Sen. Jenny Oropeza has died following a prolonged illness. She was 53. Oropeza had been largely absent from the Senate since her office announced in May that she had been diagnosed with a blood clot in her abdomen. The Long Beach Democrat, first elected to the Senate in 2006, had battled liver cancer and a tumor during her time in the Assembly. Her own battle with cancer inspired her to become a champion of cancer prevention in the Legislature.

The name of Sen. Jenny Oropeza, who died last night, will remain on the Nov. 2 ballot as a candidate for re-election to the 28th Senate District, election officials said this morning The 53-year-old Long Beach Democrat died 12 days before the election. Her name is already on the ballot -- some of which have already been cast by absentee voters -- and state law prevents calling a special election to fill a vacant office within 68 days of an election. Oropeza was expected to win re-election in the district, where Democrats have a 20-plus point registration advantage.... If Oropeza...

Common areas such as parking garages, elevators and restrooms would be added to the law under legislation to be introduced today. SACRAMENTO -- California's landmark workplace smoking ban would be extended to parking garages and some other common areas not covered by the law under a measure expected to be introduced today by South Bay Assemblywoman Jenny Oropeza. The legislation would outlaw smoking in public and private parking structures, elevators, lobbies, lounges, restrooms, stairwells and waiting areas, according to an Oropeza aide. Some of those areas were left out of the original legislation at the request of the state's lodging...