Patty Lopez' lead grows in the Valley

Patty Lopez, the inexperienced candidate who appears to be unseating fellow Democrat Raul Bocanegra in the 39th Assembly district, has expanded her lead to 235 votes. In the last count, Lopez led by just 46 votes. The latest update from the county Registrar-Recorder adds about 54,000 previously uncounted votes countywide. The number of remaining ballots to be counted is dwindling, and I gotta think time is running out for Bocanegra. The county says there will be another update on Friday, but the need seems to be coming for an analysis of the situation in that northeast San Fernando Valley district that allowed an incumbent Democrat to get knocked off by a newcomer.

In the race for county assessor, Jeffrey Prang leads by almost 20,000 votes over John Morris.