Hueso wins Senate special election

SAN DIEGO (CNS) – Assemblyman Ben Hueso, D-San Diego, won Tuesday's
special election in the 40th Senate District to choose a successor to fellow
Democrat Juan Vargas, who was elected to Congress in November.

Hueso, a former San Diego city councilman, topped the four-candidate
field with 52.3 percent of the vote with vote-by-mail ballots with all 438
precincts reporting, according to figures released by the California Secretary
of State's office.

Real estate agent Hector Gastelum had 22 percent and author Xanthi
Gionis 15 percent. Both are Republicans.

Democrat Anna Nevenic, a registered nurse who lives in Cathedral City,
was fourth with 10.7 percent.

Hueso's victory will cause another special election to fill his Assembly
seat.

Because the election was to complete an unexpired term, it was held in
the district determined by redistricting in 2001, including most of south and
east San Diego County and Imperial County, along with such Coachella Valley
cities and communities as Blythe, Cathedral City, Coachella, Indio, Mecca and
Thousand Palms.