UPDATE: 6:40 p.m. p.m., Nov. 6, 2020:
Four-term Democratic California Assemblyman Brian Maienschein won reelection against Republican challenger June Cutter in the 77th Assembly District.
The contest is a rematch of the March primary, during which Maienschein captured 57 percent of the vote while Cutter collected 43 percent.
Maienschein campaigned on his record of authoring more
than 100 bills signed into law, dealing with mental health to homelessness to small businesses.
He rightly predicted voters would not punish him for his party switch last year. He left the Republican Party and became a Democrat. He said the Democratic Party was more in tune with his values and he could no longer tolerate President Trump’s leadership of the Republicans.
Republican rival Cutter argued Maienschein’s exit from the Republican Party was out of alignment with voters in the 77th Assembly District, which includes Rancho Santa Fe, Fairbanks Ranch, Poway and some areas in San Diego.
Cutter said if elected, she would work on eliminating social-economic disparities in public education and help bring down the cost of living in California by eliminating some regulations.
She said Maienschein’s failure to oppose a bill that raised the bar on when police can use force is one reason she got into the race. He has since supported a slew of police reform legislation.
