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Fields set for two special legislative elections

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The fields of candidates have been set to replace two Southern California men who recently left the Legislature for the greener (at least in terms of potential longevity in office) pastures of local government.

Three Democrats and one Republican will be on the April 13 special election ballot to replace Democrat Paul Krekorian in the 43rd Assembly District, which includes Burbank, most of Glendale and part of Los Angeles. Krekorian earlier won election to the Los Angeles City Council.

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Democrats hoping to succeed him in the Assembly are educator/attorney Mike Gatto, small-business owner Chahe Keuroghelian and Glendale school board member Nayiri Nahabedian. The Republican candidate is small business owner Sunder Ramani.

In another special election to be held on the same date, seven people have filed to fill the 37th State Senate District seat vacated by Republican John Benoit, who earlier was appointed to the Riverside County Board of Supervisors.

Republican candidates to succeed Benoit are Assemblyman Bill Emmerson of Hemet, businessman Russ Bogh, a former assemblyman, of Beaumont and David W. Peters of Hemet, who did not provide a designation to election officials. Democrats are school board member Justin Blake of Rancho Mirage, educator/businessman Arthur Bravo Guerrero and registered nurse/author Anna Nevenic. School board member Matt Monica of Palm Desert of the American Independent Party also is running.

In each election, all the candidates will appear on the same ballot, regardless of party affiliation. If no single candidate wins a majority on April 13, the top vote-getter in each party will advance to a runoff on June 8, the same day as the state’s gubernatorial primary.

Krekorian, who would have been forced from the Assembly in 2012 because of term limits, can serve up to three full four-year terms on the Los Angeles City Council in addition to finishing the unexpired term he filled. Benoit, who would have ‘termed out’ of the state Senate in 2014, can serve on the Board of Supervisors for as long as he and voters wish, as there are no term limits for Riverside County supervisors.

-- Jean Merl

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