# 2011 California's 36th congressional district special election

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vte :
A 2011 special election filled the vacancy in California's 36th congressional district after the resignation of incumbent Jane Harman on February 28, 2011; Harman vacated her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to become head of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
The special primary election occurred on May 17, 2011. Democrat Janice Hahn received the highest number of votes, with Republican Craig Huey taking second place. Because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary, a special general election was held on July 12, 2011, between the top two vote recipients. The runoff election was won by Janice Hahn.

## Background and procedures

An election was called to fill the rest of Harman's term, which ends January 2013. An all-party primary was held on May 17. Since no candidate received more than 50% of the vote, the top two primary finishers, regardless of party, met in a run-off on July 12.
The special election was held under California statutes regarding special elections and not under California's newly in force Proposition 14, which does not apply to special elections.

## Candidates in the general election

* Janice Hahn, Democratic Party
* Craig Huey, Republican Party

## Candidates in the primaries
### Democratic Party

* Dan Adler, businessman from Los Angeles
* Debra Bowen, Secretary of State of California from Marina Del Rey
* Loraine Goodwin, physician/arbitrator/teacher
* Janice Hahn, Los Angeles City Councilwoman from San Pedro
* Marcy Winograd, teacher and community organizer from Venice

### Republican Party

* Kit Bobko, Hermosa Beach City Councilman and former Mayor
* Stephen Eisele, Marina del Rey businessman
* Mike Gin, Redondo Beach Mayor
* Craig Huey, Rolling Hills Estates businessman
* George Newberry, businessman
* Mike Webb, Redondo Beach City Attorney

### Peace and Freedom Party

* Maria E. Montaño, teacher

### Libertarian Party

* Steve Collett, certified public accountant

### Independent

* Michael T. Chamness, consultant
* Katherine Pilot, longshore office clerk
* Matthew Roozee, executive at 20th Century Fox

## Polling
### Primary election

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Debra Bowen (D) | Mike Gin (R) | Janice Hahn (D) | Marcy Winograd (D) | Undecided |
| Feldman Group • | April 4–7, 2011 | 401 | ± 4.9% | 20% | 8% | 20% | 6% | 24% |
* • Commissioned by the Bowen campaign

### General election
#### Polling

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Janice Hahn (D) | Craig Huey (R) | Other | Undecided |
| Public Policy Polling $^+$ | July 8–10, 2011 | 619 | ± 3.9% | 52% | 44% | — | 4% |
* $^+$ Commissioned by Daily Kos and the SEIU

#### Bowen/Hahn runoff

| Poll source | Date(s) administered | Sample size | Margin of error | Debra Bowen (D) | Janice Hahn (D) | Undecided |
| Feldman Group • | April 4–7, 2011 | 401 | ± 4.9% | 40% | 36% | 16% |
| Public Policy Polling $^+$ | February 17–18, 2011 | 890 | ± 3.3% | 33% | 29% | 39% |
* • Commissioned by the Bowen campaign
* $^+$ Commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee

## Results
### Primary

California's 36th congressional district special primary, 2011 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Janice Hahn | 15,647 | 24.6 |
| | Republican | Craig Huey | 14,116 | 22.2 |
| | Democratic | Debra Bowen | 13,407 | 21.1 |
| | Democratic | Marcy Winograd | 5,905 | 9.3 |
| | Republican | Mike Gin | 4,997 | 7.9 |
| | Republican | Mike Webb | 3,895 | 6.1 |
| | Republican | Kit Bobko | 2,296 | 3.6 |
| | Libertarian | Steve Collett | 896 | 1.4 |
| | Republican | Stephen Eisele | 788 | 1.2 |
| | Democratic | Dan Adler | 361 | 0.6 |
| | Democratic | Loraine Goodwin | 325 | 0.5 |
| | Peace and Freedom | Maria E. Montano | 324 | 0.5 |
| | Republican | George Newberry | 234 | 0.4 |
| | Independent | Matthew Roozee | 157 | 0.2 |
| | Independent | Katherine Pilot | 126 | 0.2 |
| | Independent | Michael T. Chamness | 108 | 0.2 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 63,582 | 100.0 |

### General

California's 36th congressional district special general, 2011 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Janice Hahn | 47,000 | 54.9 |
| | Republican | Craig Huey | 38,624 | 45.1 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 85,624 | 100.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 25.0 |
| | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold | Democratic hold |