In the race to represent the State of California in the United States Senate, our own District 30 representative Adam Schiff will face off against Republican Steve Garvey. Garvey is a resident of Palm Desert and a former Los Angeles Dodger who ran on a paper-thin budget, as opposed to the well-financed Schiff. If Schiff were to win, it would be the first time a California State Senator came from District 30.
In the race to replace Schiff’s seat in the United States Congress, Democrat Laura Friedman has a commanding lead atop the field with 27% of the vote. Republican Alex Balekian was second with just over 20% of the vote, followed by Anthony Portantino in 3rd with just shy of 14% of the vote, and Mike Feuer close behind with just shy of 13% of the vote. Both Portantino and Feuer had received the top campaign contributions.
In the battle among LGBTQ candidates, West Hollywood council member Sepi Shyne squared off against Silver Lake neighborhood council member Maebe A. Gurl, and Burbank resident and former State Department employee Dr. Jirair Ratevosian. Shyne ran most of her race with the badge of West Hollywood Mayor.
Maebe A. Gurl had the strongest showing, garnering almost 5700 or 7% of the total votes counted to date. Gurl is a trans non-binary individual who produces and performs in drag shows around Los Angeles.
Dr. Jirair Ratevosian, who championed a ‘gay agenda,’ garnered almost 2000 votes, or 2.3% of the total votes cast to date. This was Ratevosian’s first campaign for elected office.
West Hollywood council member Sepi Shyne was the best financed among the LGBTQ candidates but had a disappointing 1100 votes, or just over 1% of the total votes cast to date. In her 2020 campaign for West Hollywood City Council, Shyne gathered over 8000 votes in the local election.
Ben Savage, a West Hollywood resident and former city council candidate, garnered almost 3500 votes, or over 4% of the total. Savage’s vote total is triple that of his own council member.
Mail-in ballots are still being counted. Election results will be certified on April 4th, 2024.
Dr. Balekian is also a gay man married to a brilliant (and very handsome) husband, and an out member of the Armenian community. He’s an honest guy with solid principles, from my experience.
I sure wish that Schiff had played fair and left us with a far better choice of the two far more progressive women.
He did play fair. Where do you dream this stuff up?
He pulled a Claire McCaskill.
He wanted a surer win rather than compete against two women, who would make excellent California senators.
Shyne came in last place among the four rainbow-identified candidates, and last place among the two West Hollywood resident candidates. I’ve already seen the spin.
Mr Schiff’s win was also spun wildly.
Terribly embarrassing for Shyne. And well deserved.