California Assembly District 51

Mark Dymally knew he was an easy target long before he decided to run for the 51st District Assembly seat. Damage control began early in the campaign as he stood before supporters and owned up to an evening in 1985 when he fired a gun repeatedly into a building where his wife was staying. But less than a week before election day, Dymally, son of former Lt. Gov. and Rep. Mervyn Dymally, says an opponent for the Democratic nomination has surprised him with charges that he is a "deadbeat dad."

Mark Ridley-Thomas' election to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors last fall already has spawned three special elections for legislative seats. And there will be a fourth if none of the six candidates on the Sept. 1 ballot for the 51st Assembly District can muster a majority. The field consists of five Democrats -- two members of city councils, a water board member who formerly served on a local school board, a 20-year-old making his first bid for elected office and a perennial candidate.

Assemblyman Ronald S. Calderon (D-Montebello) defeated Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez (D-Norwalk) by 305 votes to win the Democratic nomination in the 30th state Senate District, Los Angeles County election officials said Wednesday.

Seven candidates have filed to run in the Sept. 1 special election to fill the 51st Assembly District seat left vacant when Curren Price won a state Senate post earlier this year. Gardena City Councilman Steve Bradford, who lost the 2006 Democratic primary to Price by just 113 votes, got off to a fast start, lining up support from a host of local elected officials and raising money even before the nomination period closed at 5 p.m. Monday. Many observers see Bradford as the early front-runner.

Seven candidates have filed to run in the Sept. 1 special election to fill the 51st Assembly District seat left vacant when Curren Price won a state Senate post earlier this year. Gardena City Councilman Steve Bradford, who lost the 2006 Democratic primary to Price by just 113 votes, got off to a fast start, lining up support from a host of local elected officials and raising money even before the nomination period closed at 5 p.m. Monday. Many observers see Bradford as the early front-runner.

Mark Ridley-Thomas' election to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors last fall already has spawned three special elections for legislative seats. And there will be a fourth if none of the six candidates on the Sept. 1 ballot for the 51st Assembly District can muster a majority. The field consists of five Democrats -- two members of city councils, a water board member who formerly served on a local school board, a 20-year-old making his first bid for elected office and a perennial candidate.

Assemblyman Ronald S. Calderon (D-Montebello) defeated Assemblyman Rudy Bermudez (D-Norwalk) by 305 votes to win the Democratic nomination in the 30th state Senate District, Los Angeles County election officials said Wednesday.

Mark Dymally knew he was an easy target long before he decided to run for the 51st District Assembly seat. Damage control began early in the campaign as he stood before supporters and owned up to an evening in 1985 when he fired a gun repeatedly into a building where his wife was staying. But less than a week before election day, Dymally, son of former Lt. Gov. and Rep. Mervyn Dymally, says an opponent for the Democratic nomination has surprised him with charges that he is a "deadbeat dad."