Melendez, Staunch Trump Supporter, Solidly Leads Democrat Elizabeth Romero By 12 Points
Riverside, Calif. (PPD) — Republican Melissa Melendez has defeated Democrat Elizabeth Romero in the special election for California Senate District 28. This contest was to fill the vacancy left by Republican Jeff Stone, who resigned last year to take a position at the U.S. Labor Department.
Ms. Melendez is leading 56% to 44% among the 170,000 votes cast in the Riverside County district, which includes the Coachella Valley. In 2016, President Donald Trump barely won it by a margin less than 2%.
A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Ms. Melendez has represented the 67th Assembly District since 2012. She’s been a staunch supporter of President Trump and sat next to him at the White House in 2018 during a meeting on sanctuary cities.
“The California Republican Comeback is in full swing. A US Navy veteran and businesswoman, Melendez is the perfect voice to represent the constituents of Senate District 28 – and take the fight to the Democrats and their policies that have failed Californians,” the California Republican Party tweeted after 70-plus percent reported results.
Worth noting, Republican Mike Garcia also currently leads Democrat Christy Smith by 12 points in the special election for California’s 25th Congressional District (CA-25). It’s the first flip from Blue to Red in California in more than two decades.
That contest was to fill the vacancy left by former Rep. Katie Hill, D-Calif., who resigned in disgrace amid a sex scandal involving her staffers.
Inside The Numbers (E28): Special Election Results in CA-25 and WI-7
