CA Board of Equalization district 4 results

[I’m not Stu]

The district 4 race was interesting. Democratic nominee Mike Schaefer, a perennial candidate, upset Republican nominee Joel Anderson, a State Senator who was heavily favored, flipping the district in an open-seat race. Anderson and Schaefer are both from San Diego County. Mike Schaefer (D): 52.2%, Joel Anderson (R): 47.8%

Imperial County: Schaefer (D): 62.1%, Anderson (R): 37.9%

Orange County: Anderson (R): 51.3%, Schaefer (D): 48.7%

Riverside County: Anderson (R): 50.1%, Schaefer (D): 49.9%

San Bernardino County: Schaefer (D): 58.6%, Anderson (R): 41.4%

San Diego County: Schaefer (D): 55.3%, Anderson (R): 44.7%

County map:

[Skunk]

Mike Schaefer is one of my favorite elected Democrats in the country. Between him, Loretta Sanchez, and Nancy Pelosi, California produces some of the best Democratic politicians.

[I’m not Stu]

The race was between an eccentric slumlord and a scandal-plagued State Senator who committed campaign finance violations.

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

It was as much of a "Candidate with D next to their name" vs "Candidate with R next to their name" race as you could get in California elections.

No one had a clue who either candidate was. Let alone that they both had their own unique scandals. Anderson's sexual harassment scandal broke around the time VBM ballots were distributed, but still

[Epaminondas]

This San Diego Tribune article paints Schaefer as a really dodgy guy.

80 years old and Republican until after retirement.
That such an oddball won shows the power of partisanship.