Jun 4, 2008 10:37 am US/Pacific
Leno Claims Senate Victory Over Migden, Nation
SAN RAFAEL (CBS 5) ―
State Assemblyman Mark Leno claimed victory Tuesday night in a contentious Democratic primary for state Senate district 3.
The three-term San Francisco legislator defeated incumbent state Sen. Carole Migden and former state Assemblyman Joe Nation for the district encompassing Marin County and parts of San Francisco and Sonoma County.
Migden, a hard-charging New York City transplant, easily won her Senate seat four years ago after serving in the Assembly and on the tax-collecting state Board of Equalization.
But in the ensuing years, she was involved in a series of incidents that undercut her re-election bid, including a record fine for campaign finance violations and a wild ride on Interstate 80 that ended in a collision.
The race split California Democrats, with the state's two U.S. Senators supporting Migden and San Francisco's Mayor and the Speaker of the House backing Leno.
The primary had also fueled tension in San Francisco's gay community, as both Migden and Leno are gay.
In another state senate race, Assemblywoman Loni Hancock of Berkeley, defeated Assemblywoman Wilma Chan of Alameda, for the Democratic nomination for the district 9 Senate seat.
The seat is currently held by Oakland's Don Perata, who is one of more than more than three dozen lawmakers who will be termed out in December.
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