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OC's likely new state senator vows to channel Elon Musk with 'DOGE California'
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Republican Tony Strickland claimed victory Monday in last month’s special election to fill the vacant seat in the California state Senate’s 36th district, although a final vote count is not expected until later this week.
Where is the district?
The district stretches along the Orange County coast from Dana Point north to Seal Beach. It also encompasses the Little Saigon area of Orange County, including the cities of Westminster and Garden Grove, as well as the Los Angeles County cities of Cerritos, Artesia and Hawaiian Gardens.
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Who is Tony Strickland?
Strickland currently serves on the Huntington Beach City Council and previously served 10 years in the state legislature.
What’s the status of votes?
There are still several thousand votes to count, but Strickland has held a more than 50% lead since Election Day a week ago. If that lead holds as expected, he avoids a runoff by winning more than half the vote.
What does he say he’ll do in Sacramento?
Strickland promised to 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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What happens to Strickland’s city council seat?
Strickland announced he’ll step down from his seat on Huntington Beach's conservative City Council on March 10. The remaining council will then have to appoint a replacement, which a city spokesperson said is likely to happen at the city’s meeting on March 18.
What’s next?
The vote has to be officially certified by March 6. Strickland’s inauguration date has yet to be set.
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