It’s always dangerous to pick winners and losers in California elections on election night, since so many ballots are still to be counted. But here’s a first blush reaction of the night’s winners, some obvious and some not so.
- Nancy Pelosi. The Democrats took back the House, which will likely make her speaker and the highest-ranking Democrat in the country. That might not be such good news for her party.
- Adam Schiff. The Congressional Democrat should move up and chair the House Intelligence Committee, a vital perch for countering a president with some very strange loyalties.
- The apparent defeat of Prop 10 was good news for landlords, homeowners, and, given the side effects of rent control, anyone who wants to see much more housing in California.
- Jerry Brown. Gavin Newsom, in becoming governor, extolled his predecessor. And Prop 6 went down. Brown leaves office with his reputation on a high. If only the state of California was in as good shape as Brown’s public relations.
- People who need sleep. Prop 7, which would open the door to ending the twice-a-year switching of time, appeared likely to pass. It could lead to year-round daylight savings, or perhaps, year-round standard time. With my household in chaos after the clocks changed last weekend, this is one measure I was glad to see pass.