Thomas D. Elias: Republicans essentially ceded Barbara Boxer's Senate seat to Democrats

[NCTraveler]

One clear precedent emerged Tuesday night from California's primary election results: There will be no Republican contending this fall for the U.S. Senate seat about to be vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer -- the first time the race for a statewide office has ever devolved into a one-party affair.

The reason is clear, too. Not only did the GOP fail to field a truly formidable Senate candidate this year, but the party had only one hopeful among its five springtime candidates with any experience in elective office. Keep this up and the GOP will be seeing many more big Democrat-on-Democrat contests.

By contrast the Democrats fielded two electoral veterans: two-term state Attorney General Kamala Harris, also a former two-term district attorney of San Francisco, and 10-term Orange County Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez.

http://www.mercurynews.com/bay-area-living/ci_29994572/thomas-d-elias-republicans-essentially-ceded-barbara-boxers

Great job cali. I have even heard Harris being mentioned for the VP slot.

[safeinOhio]

1. There something to be said for nonpartisan primaries.

Not sure if it should or would go nation wide.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. It is partisan, but the two candidates with the most votes go on to the general no matter what

Parties they are each or both in. Party affiliation is used, it's partisan.

[safeinOhio]

5. It is the least partisan primary system

I know of.

If used on a national scale, the general election would be Bernie vs Hilary this year..

[Bluenorthwest]

2. That sort of electoral slate will put pressures on the people who like to frame election rivalry as

open warfare and 'hate'. Do Sanchez and Harris loathe one another? Is one of them 'not really a Democrat'? Is that really Kamala in those photos? Which of these two campaigns will 'throw chairs and bottles'?

[NCTraveler]

4. The next Senator to hold Boxers current seat will be a progressive.

That is my takeaway. I expect them to have a lively and exciting debate.