Politics & Government

Updated: Wide-Margin Wins for Chu, Liu and Holden

Incumbents kept their seats, while Chris Holden lept toward a victory, capturing his first Assembly seat.

With 100 percent of precincts reporting, incumbents will hang on to their seats, and Pasadena councilman Chris Holden will have a new title: Assembly Member, 41st District. 

See the most current election results here.

27th Congressional District

Find out what's happening in South Pasadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

U.S. Rep. Judy Chu, D-El Monte, garnered 65.36 percent of the vote, with her Republican challenger Jack Orswell earning 34.64 percent, with all 395 precincts reporting for the 27th District.

Chu's current 32nd District was reshaped last year by redistricting.

Find out what's happening in South Pasadenawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Chu released a statement early Wednesday morning declaring victory:

"For 27 years, I have been privileged to serve the San Gabriel Valley in elected office. Tonight, voters from this region placed their trust in me again. I will honor that trust by fighting for their needs each and every day in Congress.  While my district has changed, my commitment to serve the people and my core values remain the same."

Chu's opponent, first-time political candidate and small business owner Jack Orswell (R-Monrovia), was resigned to defeat Wednesday morning.

"Obviously I'm not happy with the results but you have to accept what the voters did," Orswell said in a phone interview. "I'm real proud of the campaign."

Orswell said he has not yet decided whether he'll make another run at office.

"Right now I'm pretty tired as a result of the campaign and tonight is not the time to be making the decision," he said. "Give me 18 months to think aboutt it."

25th State Senate District

As for the 25th State Senate race, Carol Liu, D-La Cañada, significantly defeated challenger Gilbert Gonzales with total precincts reporting. By early Wednesday, Liu had garnered 61.7 percent of the vote, while Gonzales had earned 38.3 percent. 

“We have an uphill battle but it’s not impossible,” Gonzales told Patch shortly after midnight Wednesday morning. “She’s the incumbent, she’s well-funded and has name recognition.”

Gonzales noted that San Bernardino County, which has the City of Upland, was only 22 percent reporting at the time and Upland was a city that voted favorably for him in the primary.

“The numbers are the numbers so we just forge ahead,” said Gonzales.

Liu was not available for comment late Tuesday night.

41st Assembly District

And in the newly redrawn 41st Assembly District, Holden pulled in 61.75 percent to Donna Lowe's 38.25 percent, with all 260 precincts reporting. 

At a results viewing party early Tuesday, Lowe spoke from her Claremont home where about 200 supporters packed the house to watch on televisions set up around the house.

Deep disappointment was evident on faces in the crowd when the presidential race was called in favor of President Barack Obama. 

"We don’t have anything to be proud of right now except for our weather. People are fleeing our state. We have unemployment rates that are skyrocketing. You have families that are living hand-to-mouth. And that’s not OK,'' Lowe said. 

Conversely, Holden had plenty to be proud of. 

"I'm grateful for all of you believing in me,'' he said from the Pasadena Democratic Headquarters' victory party at Burger Continental, noting that the Democrats - from the president to the senators to the assembly members - have many reasons to celebrate.


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