Wilson Schedules Primaries for Seymour’s Seat, 2 Others

Gov. Pete Wilson on Tuesday set March 19 as the date for special primary elections to fill vacancies in three legislative districts, including the central Orange County Senate seat left empty by Wilson’s appointment of John Seymour to the U.S. Senate.

March 19 primaries were also scheduled in the 26th Assembly District in the central San Joaquin Valley and the sprawling 1st Senate District in Northern California. Those seats were left empty when Assemblyman Patrick Johnston (D-Stockton) and state Sen. John Doolittle (R-Rocklin) won election to other offices.

If any of the primaries fail to yield a clear winner, a special general election will be held May 14, Wilson spokesman Bill Livingstone said.

Special elections are held outside of the normal election cycle and lack the draw of statewide or national names, so voters usually show little interest in them. But Livingstone said Wilson hopes that holding these three contests on the same day will “maximize public attention and voter turnout.”

Jockeying has begun to succeed Seymour, who was sworn into the Senate as Wilson’s replacement last week. The 35th District includes a cross-section of the county and includes Disneyland, older tracts with heavy concentrations of immigrant Latinos and Asians, and more affluent parts of Costa Mesa and Irvine. The crescent-shaped district also includes Anaheim, Villa Park, Orange, Tustin, Santa Ana, Fountain Valley and Huntington Beach.

With a GOP registration of 56%, it is considered a secure district for the party’s primary winner. Assembly members Doris Allen (R-Cypress), Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) and John R. Lewis (R-Orange) have expressed interest or declared a candidacy.