Local Experience Versus National Recognition in State Senate Races

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.