VALLEY RESULTS : Wright and Boland Win Nods of GOP

Assemblywoman Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) was victorious over her strongest primary challenger in a decade, defeating Hunt Braly 59.3% to 40.7% in the 37th Assembly District race, final vote tallies showed this morning.

Real estate broker Paula Boland handily won the Republican nomination with 42.5% of the votes in the primary race to fill the seat vacated by retiring Assemblywoman Marian W. LaFollette in the 38th Assembly District. Robert Wilcox, LaFollette’s aide, garnered 33.2% of the Republican vote.

San Fernando Valley voters overwhelmingly embraced a proposal by Supervisor Mike Antonovich to built a futuristic monorail line along the Ventura Freeway in an advisory referendum on the three most popular rail plans.

The monorail plan received 47.7% of the vote. In second place was a light rail proposal with 21.1%, and, close behind, 21% of the voters said they want no rail system. Only 10.2% voted in favor of the Metro Rail extension, approved two months ago by county transit officials.

In the 21st Congressional District, Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) trounced challenger Sang Korman, a wealthy Calabasas developer, winning the Republican nomination with 68.4% of the votes to Korman’s 31.6%.

In the November general election Gallegly, who garnered 42,255 votes, will face Democratic candidate Richard D. Freiman, who received 37,415 votes, and Libertarian candidate Peggy Christensen, who collected 315.

In the 37th Assembly District, Wright, who collected 21,469 votes, will run against Democrat Dennis A. Petrie, who won 22,203 votes, and Libertarian candidate John R. Spooner Sr., with 132 votes.

In the 38th Assembly District, Boland will face off against Democrat Irene F. Allert, who won her party’s nomination with 64.3% over Gary Crandall with 35.7%. Peace and Freedom candidate Charles Najbergier won with 37 votes over Leah Parker with 27 votes.

Final results of other Republican candidates in the 38th District race showed Bob Scott in third place with 13.8%, Hal J. Styles with 5.8% and Al Thomas with 4.7%.

Voters from the Lake Los Angeles area of the Antelope Valley defeated a measure 55.7% to 44.3% calling for residents to break away from the tiny Wilsona School District to build and operate their own high school.