SF Democrats Locked In Tight State Races
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and District Attorney Kamala Harris both have plenty of work to do if they hope to be elected to statewide office.
The latest Los Angeles Times/USC Poll shows Newsom leading Republican incumbent Abel Maldonado by three points in the lieutenant governor's race, which is within the poll's margin of error.
Meanwhile, Harris is trailing Los Angeles DA Steve Cooley by five points in the race to be the next state attorney general.
KCBS' Chris Filippi Reports:
San Jose State professor and KCBS political analyst Larry Gerston said this is a challenging race for Harris.
"Kamala Harris is a person who is dead set against the death penalty. Most Californians are for the death penalty," Gerston said. "Kamala Harris has some issues in San Francisco with respect to the crime lab."
As for the lieutenant governor's race, Gerston said Maldonado is benefiting from some good press for his handling of the state's response to the San Bruno gas line explosion.
"Those kinds of opportunities, if you handle them well, win you points when it comes to voting," he said. "And Maldonado did a very good job."
Gerston said there is not a prevailing political wind against candidates from San Francisco. But he also said this is a year when Republicans have the potential to win several statewide races.
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