Brown calls special election for 4th Assembly District

Gov. Jerry Brown has called a special election for the 4th Assembly District in Northern California to replace Assemblyman Ted Gaines (R-Roseville), who was elected to the state Senate last week.

Under the state's new top-two primary system, candidates will compete for the seat on March 8.  If no one wins a majority then, the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, will advance to a May 3 runoff.

Several candidates, including Gaines' wife, already have expressed interest in the race.

Republicans hold about a 45% to 31% edge over Democrats in the district, which runs from northern Sacramento County into Placer, El Dorado and Alpine counties and stretches to the Nevada state line.

Gaines won a special runoff last week to replace the late Sen. Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks), who died in July  from prostate cancer.

-- Jean Merl