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A DOGE enthusiast who wants to thwart Newsom will be California's newest state senator
Huntington Beach Councilmember Tony Strickland, who has claimed enough votes for the 36th state Senate seat that he has avoided a runoff.
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StricklandForSenate.com
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Huntington Beach City Councilmember Tony Strickland will be California's newest state senator. The Republican has secured enough votes for the 36th District California Senate seat that there won't even be a runoff — and he's already making plans for Sacramento.
What does he say he's going to do?
On Instagram Strickland said, "On Day One, I will fight for lower taxes, safe neighborhoods and against Gavin Newsom and his radical policies."
At a news conference earlier this week, he said he'll also attack the state gas tax, bolster public safety, and “do what we can do to DOGE California,” a reference to the controversial federal Department of Government Efficiency run by Elon Musk.
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We reached out to Strickland for more details and will update this story if we get them.
Where is the 36th California Senate District?
The district spans the Orange County coast, as well as Little Saigon, Westminster and Garden Grove. It also includes a sliver of Los Angeles County cities — Artesia, Cerritos and Hawaiian Gardens.
Where does the vote stand?
Because this district spans two counties, Orange County and Los Angeles County's registrars of voters certified their respective ballots this week and forwarded the results on to the California secretary of state for the final stamp of approval.
Here's where the final tally stood Friday afternoon. Winning more than 50% of the vote means Strickland avoids a runoff:
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What happens to Strickland's City Council seat?
The Huntington Beach City Council is expected to appoint a replacement later this month.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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