Free Republic

LOS ANGELES - Democrat Ted W. Lieu handily defeated three Republican opponents to win election to California's 53rd Assembly district in a special election called after the June death of incumbent Mike Gordon. With all of the district's 110 precincts reporting, Lieu, a member of the Torrance City Council, had 24,119 votes or 60 percent in unofficial results from Tuesday's balloting. Dr. Mary Jo Ford, a Manhattan Beach anesthesiologist, was second with 7,733 votes or 19 percent. Ford was the choice of the California Republican party leadership. Another Republican, Torrance Councilman Paul Nowatka, was third with 4,711 votes or 12...

SACRAMENTO - Assemblyman Mike Gordon, a former El Segundo mayor who was eyed as a future leader in Democratic circles, died at home Saturday due to complications from a brain tumor, his office said. He was 47. Gordon, a freshman elected in November, spent little time in the Legislature after being diagnosed with the tumor in February when he went to the doctor feeling ill and exhausted. He was hospitalized Feb. 22 and had been in treatment since. His death came as a surprise to staffers because his prognosis had been good. While Gordon had undergone a procedure to relieve...