Democratic incumbent Celeste Rodriguez leads Republican Ricardo Benitez 70.2% to 29.8% in Assembly District 43, the state legislative race that represents Panorama City and surrounding San Fernando Valley communities.
Democratic Assemblymember holds a commanding lead over Republican challenger in the Assembly District 43 primary race, early results showed Wednesday afternoon. The district includes , along with Pacoima, Mission Hills, Sylmar, Arleta, Sun Valley, Lake View Terrace, Valley Glen, Van Nuys, and San Fernando.
According to the California Secretary of State's office, Rodriguez led with 70.2% of the vote counted as of 5:48 p.m. Wednesday. Benitez, an electrical contractor, had 29.8%.
The numbers represent early returns. Vote-by-mail ballots that arrived on Election Day, ballots cast at Voter Centers, and provisional ballots are still being tallied by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office.
Assembly District 43 is one of 24 Assembly contests on the June 2 primary ballot in Los Angeles County. California uses a nonpartisan "jungle primary" system. The top two candidates advance to the November general election, regardless of party affiliation.
Rodriguez's large lead means she is on track to advance to November without a runoff against a fellow Democrat. Benitez appears poised to be the second candidate to move forward, setting up a Democratic-versus-Republican general election matchup.
Five of the 24 Assembly races in Los Angeles County had no incumbent this year. Assemblymembers Tom Lackey, Jacqui Irwin, Mike Gipson, Al Muratsuchi, and Sharon Quirk-Silva were all term-limited and unable to seek reelection.
Assembly District 43 was not among the open seats. Rodriguez entered the race as the incumbent, giving her name recognition and an established record to campaign on.
"That means this year voters across the county had 24 Assembly races to consider, from District 34, which encompasses three counties to the District 67 seat, which touches areas of L.A. County and Orange County," the Daily News reported.
The issues facing candidates in the Valley district included federal budget cuts, the housing affordability crisis, wildfire recovery, and immigration enforcement, according to campaign coverage from the Los Angeles Daily News.
Results will continue to be updated through the canvass period as the county processes remaining ballots. The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk's office and the California Secretary of State's office release multiple updates as counting progresses.
Once the primary is certified, Rodriguez and Benitez will compete in the November general election for the right to represent Panorama City and the rest of Assembly District 43 in the California State Assembly.
This article was generated with AI assistance.