With the confirmation of Ms. Hilda Solis to serve as President Barack Obama’s Labor Secretary, Governor Schwarzenegger has called a special election of May 19th, beginning the formal process of electing the next representative for the 32nd Congressional District. Given that this seat has a strong Democratic base it is almost a guarantee that the winner of the primary election will become the next Congress member.

As the confirmation of Ms. Solis has been in the process since last December, this seat has had numerous names jockeying for the seat, which eventually dropped out of the race before there even was a race.

Currently, three leading Democrats are vying for the nomination and they include, State Senator Gil Cedillo, Board of Equalization Chairwoman Judy Chu and Investment Banker Emanuel Pleitez. Should no one win an outright majority of the vote, the top vote-getters from each party will compete in a special general election on July 14. Turnout in the primary is expected to be high as this election coincides with the already set Los Angeles’ General Election and with the statewide special election for six propositions which were part of the recently passed California budget.

While the district is 62 percent Hispanic, 18 percent Asian and 15 percent white, Judy Chu has succeeded in winning many key endorsements from labor and locally elected officials. Should State Senator Gil Cedillo win this election, than a subsequent election would need to be called to fill his remaining term, which has just under two years left.

The other special election is the one that involves two State Assembly Members, Curren Price and Mike Davis and their attempt to replace State Senator Mark Ridley-Thomas who was elected to the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors. These two candidates will vie against four other Democratic candidates on March 24. Should a General election be needed, it would also fall on May 19, 2009.