Abstract
Californians had an open seat for the first time in a generation with the retirement of Barbara Boxer. The 1992 Senate victories of Dianne Feinstein and Boxer anchored the Democratic Party’s dominance in the following decades. By 2016 there was a deep bench of possible contenders for Senate, but only Representative Loretta Sanchez mounted a challenge to Attorney General Kamala Harris. The race highlighted California’s diverse, multiethnic population and was the first California Senate race in which Republicans were shut out of the general election. Harris had a near monopoly on endorsements, interest group support, and fundraising while Sanchez struggled to be viewed as a viable candidate. Harris’ overwhelming victory and forceful opposition to the Trump administration cemented her image as a rising political star.
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Godwin, M.L. (2018). California Senate Race: The Anointing of Kamala Harris. In: Foreman, S., Godwin, M. (eds) The Roads to Congress 2016. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-58094-4_15
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