Claudia Peschiutta
GLENDALE -- Those local Republicans who gave GOP candidates an edge
over their Democratic opponents in Glendale during the March primary were
far outnumbered this week.
The only major city in the area to cast more votes in the primary for
U.S. Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) in the 27th Congressional District
race and Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the presidential contest, Glendale
shifted to the left in Tuesday's general election.
In the congressional contest, state Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Glendale) took
51% of the local vote, while Rogan trailed with 46%. Throughout the
district, Schiff won 53% to 44%.
But in the primary, Rogan beat Schiff among local voters 51% to 45%.
"The smaller the turnout, the more Republican the electorate," said
Parke Skelton, who served as a Schiff campaign consultant.
In Glendale, 42,463 ballots were cast in the general election, 12,240
more than were submitted in the primary.
Skelton also said Schiff lost Glendale in March because the state
senator was far outspent by Rogan in the primary.
Rogan was defeated on Tuesday by an even greater margin in Burbank,
where he lost 57% to 39%.
The two-term congressman did, however, win over more voters than did
Schiff in La Canada Flintridge, where Republicans beat out Democrats in
every race except the one for the 44th Assembly District seat.
While Glendale voters gave Bush an edge over Vice President Al Gore in
the primary, they did the opposite on Tuesday. Gore won over Bush by 51%
to 43%, according to results released this week.
In the 21st state Senate District race, Glendale in both the primary
and general elections favored a Democrat, albeit a different one.
Though he lost the primary to Assemblyman Jack Scott (D-La Crescenta),
fellow Assemblyman Scott Wildman was supported by 41% of Glendale voters
in the March election, while Republican Paul Zee received only 29% of the
ballots cast.
Many locals appeared to have shifted their support to Scott in the
general election, giving him a 57% to 39% win over Zee.
Scott took a more commanding lead in Burbank, where he beat Zee 60% to
36%.
Results from the race for the 43rd Assembly District, which includes
Glendale and Burbank, showed local voters changed their preference after
the March primary.
Republican Craig Missakian, who was defeated Tuesday by Democrat Dario
Frommer, won Glendale in the primary but lost it in the general election.
Frommer locally beat Missakian 53% to 47%.
Glendale voters were more consistent when voting for a representative
in the 44th Assembly District, which includes La Crescenta.
Democrat Carol Liu got more support among local voters than her
Republican opponent, Susan Carpenter McMillan, in both the primary and
general elections.
The results of Tuesday's election show Liu beat Carpenter McMillan 53%
to 42% in Glendale.
