Women’s rights activist and attorney, Sandra Fluke, finished in the top two in her run for an open state Senate seat in California’s 26th district. Current state Senator Ted Lieu is running for the retiring Henry Waxman’s seat. The two candidates who earn the most votes in California primary elections advance to the general election regardless of political party, so Fluke will now compete against fellow Democrat Ben Allen for the seat. The general election will take place on November 4.
Fluke, then a Georgetown law student, came to national attention in 2012 when House Republicans refused to allow her to testify at a hearing on the Affordable Care Act’s requirement for religiously affiliated colleges or universities and hospitals to cover birth control. Rush Limbaugh called her a “slut” and “prostitute” for speaking on the need for women students to have coverage for birth control and for treatment of illnesses such as ovarian cysts. She became an outspoken feminist, and she spoke at the 2012 Democratic National Convention and at Feminist Majority’s 2012 Women Money Power Summit in Washington, D.C.
Fluke and Allen are competing for the state Senate seat currently occupied by Ted Lieu, who led in the primary for Henry Waxman’s seat in the House for California’s 33rd district. Waxman is retiring after 40 years of leadership in the House. Democrat Lieu came in second place in his primary with 19 percent of the vote, falling slightly behind Republican Elan Carr, who earned 21 percent of the vote. But Lieu will win the general election because Waxman’s seat is a strong Democratic seat and there were many Democrats running. Wendy Greuel was also competing for the Waxman seat but came in third place, so she will not advance.
Meanwhile, the pro-choice Norma Torres won the primary for a House seat for California’s 35th district with 67 percent of the vote. She will compete with fellow Democrat Christina Gagnier in the November election to replace current Representative Gloria Negrete McLeod, who is leaving Congress to run for San Bernardino County Supervisor.
Media Resources: USA Today Politics 6/4/14; The New York Times 6/4/14; Roll Call 6/4/14; Feminist Newswire 9/6/12, 1/14/14; Ms. magazine 3/1/12
