Kotze-Ramos, Garcia cruise to election wins in 58th Assembly District

Professor Cristina Garcia makes run off in 57th Assembly District.

By Brian Hews

In what many political observers in a stunning upset, two under funded candidates will be facing off for the right to be the next member of the California State Assembly in the new 58th Assembly District.

Republican business owner Patricia Kotez-Ramos, and community reformer Christina Garcia, a Democrat topped a field of six candidates and will be squaring off in the California General Election in November.

Kotez-Ramos, and Garcia won Tuesday’s California Open Primary over heavily funded and favored candidates Tom Calderon, a former two term member of the Assembly, and Luis Marquez a city councilman from Downey. Also competing was Bell Gardens City Councilman Daniel Crespo and Cerritos business owner Sultan “Sam” Ahmad.

The district runs from Cerritos to Bell Gardens, and is overwhelming Democratic in voter registration.
Garcia is now the odds one favorite to capture the seat in November, but Kotze-Ramos is building a strong base of local support from Downey where she is very active in several well established civic and business groups.

Here are the results from Tuesday’s election:

STATE ASSEMBLY MEMBER
58TH DISTRICT

P A KOTZE-RAMOS REP 7,272 27.87
CRISTINA GARCIA DEM 6,906 26.46