SACRAMENTO – U.S. Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui’s face lit up happily like a Christmas tree when she glanced at the large flatscreen television in the banquet room of a restaurant in downtown Sacramento on Tuesday night.
The Incumbent was not smiling that she had a considerable lead over her challenger Jrmar Jefferson for the District 6 seat she has held since 2005. Matsui was happy that the Democrats had seized control of the House of Representatives from the Republicans.
Matsui told The OBSERVER that the changing of the guards in Washington D.C. should put the current President of the United States on notice and that the nation children can depend on honesty, integrity, and the political process.
“Underlying the whole thing here is that people felt like we need to make sure that we really understand what this country is all about,” Matsui said at Urban Roots Brewery and Smoke House. “It’s about hope, it’s about ensuring children understand that there are certain institutions that we most cherish. What are children to know, and I have two grandchildren, that what we do now prepare them for the children. We have that opportunity once again.”
The Democrats needed a net gain of 23 Republican seats to take control of the House, which has been in the GOP control for eight years. The victory puts the Democrats in the position to check Donald Trump. It also will put House minority leader Nancy Pelosi back under the controls of the office of speaker.
“We are hopeful and we already know what we want to do for our country,” Matsui said. “I believe if the President can cooperate…let’s see what we can do. Speaker Pelosi, I know, I know how tough she is. She can negotiate with him, toe to toe.”
What the Democrats won’t have is the leadership of the Senate. The so-called “Blue Wave” could not penetrate Republicans’ hold the Senate, nor could it stop the GOP for unseating a few Democratic senators who were up for reelection. Before Nov. 6, The Republican held the Senate with 51 senators to the Democrats’ 49.
MEASURE U:
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg also had a good reason to be jolly himself alongside U.S. Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui at Urban Roots Brewery and Smoke House.
Measure U’s first results signaled positive signs that it would be passed by voters, and it continued to do so for the rest of the evening. With 97 percent precincts reporting, the initiative had 53.31 percent of the votes in favor of the one-cent tax.
The measure would increase and extend the temporary half-cent sales tax that will reach sundown status by Apri 1, 2019. It would be permanent and raise the current 8.25 percent tax to 8.75 percent.
Not all the votes are in to officially decide the measure fate, but it sure looks good for Steinberg and his supporters. Measure U is expected to subsidize such things as city services, affordable housing, homelessness, jobs, youth activities and employment, and parks and recreation.
“We insist that we leave no one behind. That’s what Measure U is all about,” Steinberg said. “I hope we get the opportunity to have a real, robust set of resources to invest in people and in our communities. We cannot just be a city that relies on one-economic base, which is government. We need to do more.”
Local results of the General Election
SACRAMENTO CITY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Area 1 – Lisa Murawski, 55.66 percent; Ann Molander, 44.34 percent. 22 022 precincts reported.
Area 2 – Leticia Garcia, 57.79 percent; Ellen Cochrane, 30.51 percent; Cecile L. Nunley, 11.70 percent.
Area 6 – Darrell Woo, 69.95 percent; Jody Johnson, 30.05 percent. 19 of 20 precincts reported.
SAN JUAN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (Top 2)
Michael McKibbin, 31.05 percent; Myel Jenkins, 24.28 percent, Zima Creason, 24.14 percent, Magali Kincaid, 20.54 percent. 129 of 135 precincts reported.
MAYOR OF ELK GROVE MAYOR
Steve Ly, 49.94 percent; Darren Suen, 31.94 percent, Traci Stafford, 21.12 percent. 57 of 57 precincts reported.
CITY OF CITRUS HEIGHTS COUNCIL (Top 3)
Jeannie Bruins, 27.35 percent; Steve Miller, 21.91 percent; Porshe Middleton, 20.46 percent; Albert Fox, 18.10 percent, Treston Shull, 12.18 percent. 29 of 29 precincts reported.
U.S. REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT 6
Doris O. Matsui, 81.68 percent; Jrmar Jefferson, 18.32 percent. 232 of 246 precincts reported.
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By Antonio R. Harvey
OBSERVER Staff Writer