04 Nov Election 2020 Update: All California Black Caucus Members Hold Strong Leads in Races

Rep. Karen Bass, who was a contender to be Joe Biden’s running mate, is one of three Black women to be reelected to their California congressional districts. (Online Guide to House Members and Senators, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)

Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media 

Election Day 2020 is behind us, and a winner for president of the United States has not been decided. As predicted, California voted overwhelmingly for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, and they will be receiving the state’s 55 electoral votes. 

Also, as predicted, counting the votes in battleground states will take time to determine a state winner. 

There are seven battleground states that will determine the next president, and, right now, Biden is leading in four of those states (Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan). President Trump is leading in three (Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania). 

If the trends hold in the battleground states, Biden is on course to collect at least 270 electoral votes and will be the next president. But nothing is certain until all votes have been counted and all lawsuits that Trump is likely to initiate have been resolved. 

In California elections, a ballot postmarked by Nov. 3 has up to 17 days later to be counted. Counties have until Dec. 3 to certify contests for office. 

The vote counts in state district contests involving African American incumbents show that they have all either won or are winning their contests. 

In the congressional races – Barbara Lee, (Democrat – Congressional District 13), Karen Bass (Democrat – Congressional District 37, Los Angeles) and Maxine Waters (Democrat – Congressional District 43, Los Angeles) have been declared winners. 

State Sen. Steve Bradford (Democrat- 35th Senate District) won his contest. 

In Assembly races, declared Legislative Black Caucus winners include: Kevin McCarty (Democrat – Assembly District 9), Chris Holden (Democrat – Assembly District 41), Sydney Kamlager (Democrat – Assembly District 54), and Autumn Burke (Democrat – Assembly District 62). 

Assemblymembers currently leading in their contests by double digits are Jim Cooper (Democrat – Assembly District 9), Reggie Jones Sawyer (Democrat – Assembly District 59) and Mike Gipson (Democrat – Assembly District 64). However, the percentages of votes counted at this time are not enough to project that those three state legislators will be re-elected in their districts. 

State Sen. Holly Mitchell (Democrat – 30th Senate District) was not up for reelection, but she was running for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. She is currently leading in her contest against Los Angeles City Councilman Herb Wesson. If she wins, there will have to be a special election to find a replacement to complete her term in the State Senate.