Tony Strickland the Winner in California State Senate Race?

Ventura County, Santa Barbara County and Los Angeles County Elections have updated their totals Friday for the California State Senate District 19 race.

With vote count updates released by Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties today, Republican Tony Strickland has taken a lead that, while not quite decisive, is certainly commanding. Strickland is now up 2,141 votes over Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson.

Jackson’s camp still believes it can make up 2,000 or more votes from the pool of about 15,000 provisional ballots, but Strickland’s lead may be now pressing the outside of the envelope of what Jackson can make up.

According to Flap’s math Republican Tony Strickland has extended his lead to 2,141 votes versus 1,560 votes Wednesday.

The raw figures:

Santa Barbara County:

• Hannah-Beth Jackson: 70,098
• Tony Strickland: 56,744

Los Angeles County:

• Hannah-Beth Jackson: 11,611
• Tony Strickland: 15,806

Ventura County:

• Hannah-Beth Jackson: 107,783
• Tony Strickland: 119,083

Ok, Flap will go out on a small limb and call this race for Tony Strickland. It is extremely doubtful that there are sufficient votes in Santa Barbara County to deliver the election to Hannah-Beth Jackson.

State Senate District 19 is a safe GOP seat and even with the massive tidal wave of Democrat dominance this election, the GOP base turned out to support one of its own.

What does this mean for the Democrat dominated California Legislature?

The California Democrat Party is denied 2/3’rds dominance of the State Senate and should make for some interesting budgetary fireworks as Democrats and Republicans will have to work together to forge a balanced budget. The California GOP will be able to block new taxes and spending initiatives.

Moreover, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is guaranteed a veto-proof legislature.

Stay tuned……