Contra Costa Times
January 24, 2015
The battle to replace Rep. Mark DeSaulnier in the state Senate took a surprising last-minute turn Friday when Orinda Councilman Steve Glazer entered the race.
DeSaulnier, D-Concord, resigned his 7th District Senate post mid-term after winning a congressional seat in November. The special election to succeed him has long been expected to feature Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, D-Concord, and former Assemblywoman Joan Buchanan, D-Alamo, both of whom filed before the deadline Friday.
But Glazer, who ran unsuccessfully last year to replace Buchanan in the Assembly, was not expected to run this time. Glazer is a long-time political adviser to Gov. Jerry Brown and a more politically centrist Democrat than Buchanan and Bonilla.
Republican Michaela Hertle of Pleasanton and Democrat Terry Kremin of Concord also filed. The five candidates will appear on the ballot in a primary election scheduled for March 17. A runoff between the top two finishers is scheduled for May 19.
The 7th Senate district includes much of Contra Costa County as well the Livermore Valley in Alameda County.