Yesterday’s typically low turnout primary election was the most formful exercise in Southern California since snug-fitting jeans became fashionable.
In the main competitive races among Democrats — tantamount to election in November — newcomer Holly J. Mitchell shaded party official Reggie Sawyer-Jones in a showdown for the state Assembly seat Karen Bass is vacating, and Ms. Bass won her first Congressional race so lopsidedly it was embarrassing.
Instantly, Ms. Mitchell became a cinch favorite to walk into the term-limited Ms. Bass’s 47th District Assembly seat in the November general election.
When the 76-year-old U.S. Rep. Diane Watson (D-Los Angeles) mildly surprised observers in February by announcing her retirement, Ms. Bass virtually became her automatic successor when Ms. Watson endorsed her 56-year-old friend.
Ms. Bass’s race drew what was charitably described as token opposition. They were known as the Pep Boys because there were three of them. Not Manny, Moe and Jack, though, but the oldtimers might have come closer.
With Ms. Bass gobbling up 85 percent of the votes, 34,461, the remaining crumbs were sparsely distributed among Felton Newell, 2,591; Morris Griffin, 1,733 and Nick Juan Mostert, 1,638.
Ms. Bass’s underdog Republican opponent in November will be James L. Andion, who drew 3,058 votes, lapping a little field that attracted no attention.
The only disappointed, but not necessarily surprised, candidate in the neighborhood last night was Mr. Jones-Sawyer, secretary of the state Democratic Party. He lost to Ms. Mitchell by less than 2,000 votes, 13,171 to 11,294.
The rest of the field was on the other side of the horizon: Robert L. Jones, 2,165; Ed Nicoletti, 2,149; and R. Garcia-Rangel, 1,400.
Republican Lady Cage is back for another run at office, and will oppose Ms. Mitchell. Unopposed, she drew 4,006 votes.
In a rematch of last year’s race for the state Senate, Sen. Curren D. Price (D-Culver City), running opposed, gained 39,456 votes yesterday and is lopsidedly favored to remain in office. His Republican opponent, Rabbi Nachum Shifren, also unopposed, drew 6, 414 votes.
