SD7: Beckles overtakes Kalb for second place, leads by 210 votes

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Jovanka Beckles is kryptonite to “Super Dan” Kalb in the tight race for second place in the 7th State Senate District primary.

ELECTION 2024

7TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT

—NEW #2—Jovanka Beckles vaulted over Dan Kalb for second place in the 7th State Senate District primary by just 210 votes, as of Monday night.

—Jesse Arreguin will win the primary, maintaining a sizable lead over whoever nabs the second spot in the top two November general election.

—That’s increasingly looking like it will Beckles, the former Richmond councilmember and current member of the AC Transit Board of Directors.

—Today’s update is especially worrisome for Kalb, an Oakland councilmember, because the new tabulation comes entirely from ballots in Alameda County.

—Contra Costa County, which is Beckles’ home field, has not posted an update since Friday. An update is scheduled for Wednesday, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

STATE SENATE

7th District (Berkeley-Richmond-Oakland-Alameda)

• Jesse Arreguin-D 41,203 33.0% (0)

• Jovanka Beckles-D 19,691 15.8% (+1.0)

• Dan Kalb-D 19,481 15.6% (-0.5)

• Kathryn Lybarger-D 17,714 14.2% (+0.2)

• Sandre Swanson-D 14,598 11.7% (+0.5)

• Jeanne Solnordal-R 12,263 9.8% (-1.1)

—Beckles and Kalb have done this before in a state legislative race.

—The 2018 June primary race for the 15th Assembly District saw Kalb and Beckles also battle for second.

—After trading positions over several days, Beckles topped Kalb by just 726 votes. Buffy Wicks would later defeat Beckles in November by seven points.

—MONDAY UPDATE—It’s coming close to a wrap for the three remaining spots in the November general election. All three are races for second place.

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