2006 United States Senate election in California

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2006 United States Senate election in California
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  Dianne Feinstein, official Senate photo 2 (cropped).jpg Dick Mountjoy.jpg
Nominee Dianne Feinstein Dick Mountjoy
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote5,076,2892,990,822
Percentage59.43%35.02%
2006 United States Senate election in California results map by county.svg
2006 United States Senate election in California by congressional district.svg
Feinstein:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%     80–90%
Mountjoy:     40–50%     50–60%
U.S. senator before election

Dianne Feinstein
Democratic

Elected U.S. Senator

Dianne Feinstein
Democratic

The 2006 United States Senate election in California was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein won re-election to her third full term.

Contents

Feinstein stood against Republican Dick Mountjoy, who had never held a statewide elected position, but had been a state senator for several years. Also running was Libertarian Michael Metti, Don Grundmann of the American Independent Party, Todd Chretien of the Green Party and Marsha Feinland of the Peace and Freedom Party.

Because California is a state that requires a large amount of money to wage a competitive statewide campaign, it is not unusual - as was the case for this race - for a popular incumbent to have no significant opponent. Several prominent Republicans, such as Bill Jones, Matt Fong, and others, declined to run, and a previously announced challenger, businessman Bill Mundell, withdrew his declaration after determining he would not be a self-funded candidate (as Michael Huffington was in the 1994 election). Since Feinstein's death in 2023, this is the most recent U.S. Senate election in California and latest U.S. Senate election of any state in the nation where both major party Senate nominees are deceased. [1] [2] [3]

Primaries

Link to primary results

Democratic

2006 United States Senate Democratic primary, California
CandidateVotes %
Dianne Feinstein (Incumbent)2,176,88886.95
Colleen Fernald199,1807.96
Martin Luther Church127,3015.09
Total votes2,503,369 100.00

Green

2006 United States Senate Green primary, California
CandidateVotes %
Todd Chretien 12,82146.14
Tian Harter10,31837.13
Kent Mesplay4,64916.73
Total votes27,788 100.00

Others

2006 United States Senate primary, California (Others)
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Dick Mountjoy 1,560,472 100.00%
American Independent Don J. Grundmann 30,787 100.00%
Libertarian Michael S. Metti 16,742 100.00%
Peace and Freedom Marsha Feinland 4,109 100.00%

Candidates

Democratic Party

Lost in primary

Republican Party

American Independent Party

Green Party

Lost in primary

Libertarian Party

Peace and Freedom Party

General election

Controversy

On September 22, the Los Angeles Times reported that Mountjoy's official biography, as found on his campaign website, falsely asserted that he had served aboard the battleship USS Missouri during the Korean War—he had actually served aboard the heavy cruiser USS Bremerton . A review of the ships' logs corroborated this and the website was quickly changed to reflect his service aboard the Bremerton rather than the Missouri.

I think it was just something that somebody picked up, it didn't come from me.

— Richard Mountjoy [4]

Predictions

SourceRankingAs of
The Cook Political Report [5] Solid DNovember 6, 2006
Sabato's Crystal Ball [6] Safe DNovember 6, 2006
Rothenberg Political Report [7] Safe DNovember 6, 2006
Real Clear Politics [8] Safe DNovember 6, 2006

Polling

SourceDateFeinstein (D)Mountjoy (R)
Field Poll [9] April 19, 200659%31%
Los Angeles Times Poll [10] May 28, 200659%30%
Field Poll [11] June 4, 200654%28%
Rasmussen [12] July 13, 200660%33%
Public Policy [13] July 26, 200642%21%
Field Poll [14] August 3, 200656%34%
SurveyUSA [15] August 28, 200656%34%
Rasmussen [16] August 31, 200656%34%
Rasmussen [17] September 12, 200658%35%
Datamar [18] September 18, 200649%38%
SurveyUSA [19] September 27, 200655%35%
Los Angeles Times Poll [20] September 29, 200654%36%
Mason-Dixon [21] October 2, 200653%23%
Field Poll [22] October 3, 200657%29%
SurveyUSA [23] October 26, 200659%33%
Field Poll [24] November 1, 200655%33%
SurveyUSA [25] November 5, 200660%31%

Results

Feinstein won the election easily. She won almost every major populated area, winning in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Diego. Feinstein was projected the winner as soon as the polls closed at 11 P.M. EST.

United States Senate election in California, 2006 [26] [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Dianne Feinstein (incumbent) 5,076,289 59.43%
Republican Dick Mountjoy 2,990,82235.02%
Green Todd Chretien 147,0741.72%
Libertarian Michael S. Metti133,8511.57%
Peace and Freedom Marsha Feinland 117,7641.38%
American Independent Don J. Grundmann75,3500.88%
Green Kent Mesplay (write-in)1600.00%
Independent Jeffrey Mackler (write-in)1080.00%
Independent Lea Sherman (write-in)470.00%
Independent Connor Vlakancic (write-in)110.00%
Invalid or blank votes357,5834.19%
Total votes8,899,059 100.00%
Turnout  53.93
Democratic hold

Results breakdown

Final results from the Secretary of State of California.

County Feinstein Votes Mountjoy VotesOthersVotes
San Francisco 80.54%187,6928.31%19,37411.15%25,979
Marin 77.56%82,02516.82%17,7885.62%5,946
Alameda 76.07%307,49516.46%66,5507.46%30,173
San Mateo 74.80%152,08220.19%41,0435.02%10,200
Santa Cruz 72.96%65,21419.33%17,2797.71%6,891
Santa Clara 69.84%298,45124.89%106,3835.27%22,521
Sonoma 69.50%119,67223.01%39,6197.49%12,906
Contra Costa 68.48%205,51626.91%80,7644.60%13,818
Los Angeles 67.13%1,298,82027.72%536,2005.15%99,646
Monterey 65.28%56,88729.15%25,4005.57%4,852
Mendocino 64.50%19,64525.16%7,66210.34%3,149
Yolo 64.25%34,54830.10%16,1875.65%3,036
Napa 64.05%27,14430.58%12,9585.37%2,277
Solano 63.06%64,82832.06%32,9564.89%5,025
San Benito 60.74%8,62633.58%4,7685.68%807
Imperial 60.02%13,18233.41%7,3386.57%1,442
Humboldt 58.07%27,65231.51%15,00310.42%4,964
Alpine 57.17%30335.47%1887.36%39
Santa Barbara 57.00%68,97037.08%44,8645.92%7,157
Sacramento 56.59%201,22137.94%134,8875.47%19,447
Lake 56.41%10,83034.85%6,6918.74%1,678
San Joaquin 54.71%75,01140.02%54,8745.27%7,224
Merced 53.84%22,08141.24%16,9144.93%2,021
Ventura 53.22%115,47142.12%91,3744.66%10,110
San Diego 53.03%403,71142.39%322,7604.58%34,875
Fresno 51.45%89,33143.94%76,2864.60%7,993
San Luis Obispo 50.09%47,89144.70%42,7425.21%4,977
Nevada 49.98%21,20443.88%18,6186.14%2,606
San Bernardino 49.40%167,82145.17%153,4305.43%18,442
Trinity 49.39%2,82441.20%2,3569.41%538
Stanislaus 49.30%50,65646.24%47,5134.47%4,589
Mono 48.98%1,82944.38%1,6576.64%248
Riverside 48.54%183,53246.43%175,5435.03%19,006
Del Norte 48.11%3,20744.33%2,9557.56%504
Butte 47.02%32,13145.82%31,3167.16%4,892
Kings 47.02%10,66048.59%11,0164.40%997
Tuolumne 45.52%9,53548.83%10,2285.65%1,184
Orange 45.13%321,64649.66%353,9245.21%37,096
Placer 44.53%53,95650.85%61,6154.62%5,594
Plumas 44.36%3,88149.66%4,3455.98%523
Amador 44.35%6,53450.10%7,3825.55%818
Calaveras 44.33%7,86048.74%8,6426.92%1,227
El Dorado 43.25%28,91550.99%34,0915.76%3,853
Mariposa 42.98%3,24950.83%3,8426.19%468
Madera 42.39%12,65852.27%15,6095.34%1,596
Tulare 42.09%28,69453.58%36,5264.34%2,956
Inyo 41.41%2,64151.44%3,2817.15%456
Siskiyou 41.20%6,75251.46%8,4337.34%1,203
Colusa 41.08%1,99454.53%2,6474.39%213
Sierra 40.67%64151.65%8147.68%121
Yuba 39.94%5,48752.82%7,2577.24%994
Sutter 39.48%9,29755.69%13,1134.83%1,138
Kern 39.29%58,33055.19%81,9445.53%8,205
Tehama 38.70%6,91455.22%9,8656.08%1,086
Shasta 37.94%22,09756.45%32,8765.61%3,267
Glenn 37.84%2,81356.76%4,2195.39%401
Lassen 35.06%2,96856.93%4,8208.01%678
Modoc 34.44%1,26457.03%2,0938.53%313
California counties shift 2000-2006 senate.svg
California counties trend 2000-2006 senate.svg

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

Results by congressional district

Feinstein won 40 of 53 congressional districts, including six that elected Republicans. [28]

DistrictFeinsteinMountjoyRepresentative
1st 63%30% Mike Thompson
2nd 42%52% Wally Herger
3rd 49%46% Dan Lungren
4th 44%50% John Doolittle
5th 67%27% Doris Matsui
6th 73%20% Lynn Woolsey
7th 71%24% George Miller
8th 80%8% Nancy Pelosi
9th 81%8% Barbara Lee
10th 66%30% Ellen Tauscher
11th 55%40% Richard Pombo (109th Congress)
Jerry McNerney (110th Congress)
12th 77%18% Tom Lantos
13th 75%20% Pete Stark
14th 72%22% Anna Eshoo
15th 69%26% Mike Honda
16th 70%25% Zoe Lofgren
17th 69%25% Sam Farr
18th 59%36% Dennis Cardoza
19th 47%49% George Radanovich
20th 60%34% Jim Costa
21st 43%52% Devin Nunes
22nd 37%57% Bill Thomas (109th Congress)
Kevin McCarthy (110th Congress)
23rd 62%32% Lois Capps
24th 49%46% Elton Gallegly
25th 45%50% Buck McKeon
26th 48%47% David Dreier
27th 63%31% Brad Sherman
28th 75%20% Howard Berman
29th 64%31% Adam Schiff
30th 72%24% Henry Waxman
31st 79%14% Xavier Becerra
32nd 68%27% Hilda Solis
33rd 84%11% Diane Watson
34th 74%21% Lucille Roybal-Allard
35th 81%15% Maxine Waters
36th 63%31% Jane Harman
37th 77%18% Juanita Millender-McDonald
38th 72%23% Grace Napolitano
39th 64%31% Linda Sánchez
40th 44%50% Ed Royce
41st 44%51% Jerry Lewis
42nd 42%53% Gary Miller
43rd 65%30% Joe Baca
44th 46%48% Ken Calvert
45th 51%45% Mary Bono
46th 48%47% Dana Rohrabacher
47th 59%34% Loretta Sanchez
48th 46%50% John B. T. Campbell III
49th 42%53% Darrell Issa
50th 51%45% Brian Bilbray
51st 63%32% Bob Filner
52nd 46%50% Duncan L. Hunter
53rd 66%29% Susan Davis

See also

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References

  1. ↑ Karni, Annie (September 29, 2023). "Senator Dianne Feinstein Dies at 90". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  2. ↑ "U.S. Senate: Senators Who Have Died in Office". www.senate.gov. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  3. ↑ Los Angeles Times (May 19, 2015). "Richard Mountjoy, GOP legislator and key Prop. 187 backer, dies at 83". Los Angeles Times .
  4. ↑ "Senate candidate admits wrong info on bio". NBC News. September 22, 2006. Retrieved November 9, 2006.
  5. ↑ "2006 Senate Race Ratings for November 6, 2006" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 5, 2008. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  6. ↑ "Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  7. ↑ "2006 Senate Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Election 2006". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
  9. ↑ Field Poll
  10. ↑ Los Angeles Times Poll
  11. ↑ Field Poll
  12. ↑ Rasmussen
  13. ↑ Public Policy
  14. ↑ Field Poll
  15. ↑ SurveyUSA
  16. ↑ Rasmussen
  17. ↑ Rasmussen
  18. ↑ Datamar Archived September 27, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ SurveyUSA
  20. ↑ Los Angeles Times Poll [ dead link ]
  21. ↑ Mason-Dixon
  22. ↑ Field Poll
  23. ↑ SurveyUSA
  24. ↑ Field Poll
  25. ↑ SurveyUSA
  26. ↑ "United States Senate" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. December 16, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
  27. ↑ "Registration and Participation" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. December 18, 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 17, 2008. Retrieved July 14, 2008.
  28. ↑ "Counties by Congressional Districts for US Senator" (PDF). November 7, 2006. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 28, 2024. Retrieved January 28, 2025.

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