Brownley wins state Assembly nomination

Julia Brownley Santa Monica resident Julia Brownley won 34.9 percent of the vote in Tuesday's primary election and took home the Democratic nomination for the 41st State Assembly District.

Calabasas Councilmember Barry Groveman finished second with 26.8 percent.

Brownley, president of the Santa Monica/Malibu Board of Education, had been endorsed by the Democratic Party, including current Assemblywoman Fran Pavley and Senator Sheila Kuehl. If she wins in the November general election, Brownley will replace Pavley, who has served in the Assembly for six years and is being termed out of office.

"I'm very excited. . .and am anxious to get ready for the next part of the campaign," Brownley said. "Clearly this is a sweet victory, and I was running against four other great candidates."

All of the Democratic candidates shared similar values, Brownley said, adding that she hopes to work with Groveman on future projects.

The 53-year-old Brownley said she wants to focus on education, the environment, transportation and healthcare, and pick up where Pavley left off. "I want the environmental stewardship to be seamless," Brownley said.

As for transportation, Brownley wants the state to invest in a regional "world-class" transportation system. "California used to make these kinds of investments," Brownley said.

Groveman, the top fundraiser in the campaign, could not be reached for comment.

Republican candidate Tony Dolz, a Cuban immigrant whose campaign focused on problems with illegal immigration, won handily capturing 75.6 percent of his party's votes. He was challenged by Adriana Van Hemert.

"The voters of the 41st have given me their signal, a landslide victory," Dolz said.

The heavily Democratic 41st district represents about 425,000 residents in the cities of Agoura Hills, Hidden Hills, Calabasas, Oak Park, Woodland Hills, Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Encino, Tarzana, Topanga, Port Hueneme and portions of Westlake Village and Oxnard.

Voter turnout was predictably low. Statewide, only about 25 percent of registered voters cast their ballots for candidates, initiatives and bond measures.

Reports state that the low percentage will rise once absentee and provisional ballots are counted, but not by much. In fact, if voter turnout ends at or below 34 percent, the June 6 election will go down in history as the worst voter turnout since poll tracking began in 1946.