Local Experience Versus National Recognition in State Senate Races

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Two Democrats topped the primary vote for the 26th State Senate seat now held by Ted Lieu, who’s running for Congress. Ben Allen is a West-Side establishment figure now serving on the Santa Monica-Malibu School Board. Sandra Fluke might not be running at all if it weren’t for Rush Limbaugh—who made her a national figure.

**Clarification: Businessman and philanthropist Bill Bloomfield, who has donated to an independent expenditure committee supporting Ben Allen, did not previously run as a Republican in 2012. He dropped his party affiliation before the 2012 campaign.

Gene Maddaus is covering the November run-off for the LA Weekly.