It won't become official until July 14, because no one received a majority of the votes in Tuesday's special congressional primary to replace now-Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis in California's 32nd District.

But once all is said and done, and the runoff is history, the next member of Congress from the district, which is centered in east Los Angeles, will be Judy Chu.

Chu, the chair of the California Board of Equalization, was the leading Democrat in the special primary, where everyone ran on the same ballot and the top candidate of each party advances to the July runoff. With about 89 percent of the votes tallied as of this writing, Chu has 32 percent of the vote, compared with 24 percent for state Sen. Gil Cedillo (D). Chu heads to the runoff against Republican Betty Chu, a cousin, and Christopher Agrella, the Libertarian Party candidate.

Yesterday's result, which was expected, brings to an end the Hispanic hold on the seat after nearly 27 years -- since George Danielson (D) resigned in 1982 to become a judge. (Matthew Martinez held it from '82 until he lost to Solis in the 2000 Democratic primary.)

The district's demographics show two-thirds of the population Hispanic, 20 percent Asian, 12 percent white and 2 percent black.

Other Results. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl won renomination in yesterday's Democratic primary. In an overwhelmingly Democratic city and with no Republican running, Ravenstahl is all but guaranteed another term.

And in Philadelphia, Seth Williams, a former assistant prosecutor, won the Democratic primary for district attorney. The incumbent, Lynne Abraham (D), is retiring after 18 years. With a victory in November, Williams will become the city's first African-American D.A.

categories: Special Elections/Runoff Elections

9:19 - May 20, 2009

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