Complex sentence: After 12 years in the Assembly, Wright instead ran for the open 19th district in the California State Senate held by Republican stalwart Edward M. Davis, a former Los Angeles police chief, since 1980.
Split into simpler sentences: After 12 years in the Assembly, Wright instead decided to run for an open seat in California State Senate. The 19th senate district had been held by Republican stalwart Edward M. Davis, a former Los Angeles police chief, since 1980.