Send this story Print this story

Adjust text size

Rich Gordon gets solid sendoff to Sacramento
• San Mateo County supervisor gets 60 percent voter approval over rival Greg Conlon.

by Gennady Sheyner

San Mateo Supervisor Rich Gordon is on his way to Sacramento after voters in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties elected him Tuesday to replace outgoing Assemblyman Ira Ruskin in the 21st District.

Mr. Gordon, who defeated former Palo Alto Mayor Yoriko Kishimoto and Menlo Park venture capitalist Josh Becker in the Democratic primary in June, convincingly defeated his Republican challenger Greg Conlon on Nov. 2 in the heavily Democratic district.

The latest count: Mr. Gordon, 70,214 (60.1 percent); Mr. Conlon, 41,455 (35.4 percent); and Ray M. Bell Jr. (Libertarian), 5,262 (4.5 percent).

Mr. Gordon thanked his supporters in the party's Palo Alto headquarters on election night and said he looked forward to the major challenges in Sacramento, which he called a "strange and insidious place."

"I want you to know that I understand this will be the most difficult job I've ever taken on," he said.

Mr. Ruskin said Nov. 2 that he plans to run for the seat currently occupied by state Sen. Joe Simitian, a Palo Alto Democrat whose term expires in two years. Both Mr. Ruskin and Mr. Simitian stopped by the party headquarters Tuesday evening to congratulate Mr. Gordon and console the party faithful over the national results.

In his victory speech, Mr. Gordon focused on the good news for Democrats in the election results, particularly the voters' rejection of Proposition 23, which would have suspended a California law aimed at restricting greenhouse gas emissions. The proposition was largely funded by two Texas oil companies, Tesoro and Valero.

"Just as our beloved Giants beat Texas, we gave the boot to Texas oil companies and defeated Proposition 23," Mr. Gordon told his supporters.