July 22, 2010 (San Diego) – The recount has ended in the 40th State Senate Democratic primary race with Vargas ahead by a total of 26 votes. He picked up three votes in Riverside County and one in San Diego County, where challenges included a military ballot sent from overseas.

July 11, 2010 (San Diego) Juan Vargas has declared victory in the tight race against Assemblymember Mary Salas for the Democratic nomination for the State Senate's 40th District seat.
 

It's been a long road, but we've reached the finished line tonight. I'm very proud to be the Democratic nominee for our State Senate seat. Tonight, I'll be celebrating with my family and friends. Tomorrow, we begin the fight to reform California government, promote job creation, and put public safety first,” Vargas said in a press release issued last night.

Only 22 Votes Out of 48,542 Separate Salas and Vargas
 

July 12, 2010 (San Diego) – Assemblymember Mary Salas, candidate for State Senate in the 40th District, has filed the necessary paperwork calling for a recount in the race for the 40th Senate District. A mere 22 votes, or less than one half of one percent, separates the two candidates.

Unlike other states, California does not have an automatic recount no matter how close the race.  So costs of the recount will be born by the Salas campaign, not taxpayers.  Costs of the count have not yet been determined.  A campaign insider indicated that discussions are underway to determine how widespread the recount will be in the race, which spans portions of Riverside, Imperial and San Diego Counties. 

Note: An earlier version of this story stated that two media outlets reported Salas the victor today. However one of those, the Riverside Press Enterprise, has since issued a correction and indicated that Vargas won.  The Riverside Registrar's office is closed until Monday, when a certified count will be sent to the Secretary of State.

July 10, 2010 (San Diego) – This morning, Riverside County’s Registrar of Voters completed counting 12,563 previously uncounted mail-in ballots,including the 40th State Senate Democratic primary race which includes portions of Riverside, Imperial and San Diego Counties. The count was ordered to begin yesterday by superior Court Judge Mac R. Fisher.

State Senate candidate Paul Clay calls on Riverside Registrar to resign for failing to pick up ballots from Post Office

July 6, 2010 (San Diego) – Candidates in two state legislative districts that span both San Diego and Riverside counties are concerned over a scandal involving 12,563 uncounted ballots in Riverside County.

Those ballots could tip the balance of victory in the 40th State Senate district Democratic primary. Juan Vargas now leads Assemblymember Mary Salas by a scant 12 votes a full month after the June 8th election.

June 25, 2010 (San Diego) – It doesn’t get much closer than this. Yesterday, Mary Salas' lead over Juan Vargas had evaporated to a single vote.  Today, in the hotly contested Democratic primary for the 40th State Senate District,Vargas pulled into the lead by a six vote margin with 24,079 votes to Salas' 24,073. But this horse race isn’t over yet, with thousands of votes yet to be tallied in a race spanning three separate counties.
 

But Vargas refuses to concede

June 9, 2010 (San Diego) -- Assemblymember Mary Salas, candidate for State Senate in the 40th District, declared victory today in her Democratic primary campaign for the Senate seat. With 100% of the precincts reporting from all three counties – San Diego, Imperial, and Riverside – Salas leads opponent Juan Vargas by a slim 336 vote margin of 1.2%.

The campaign for the 40th State Senate seat has been one of the most expensive primaries ever for the legislature. Vargas and his allies spent over $3 million dollars, outspending the Salas campaign by nearly four to one. Salas has pointed to Vargas' hefty donations from the insurance industry, in which he once held a position, to suggest that he has been unduly influenced by special interests.

 
 
By Richard Darvas
 
June 5, 2010 (San Diego)--Bowing to corporate sponsors and resorting to dirty politicking are among a spate of accusations being exchanged by opposing candidates in South Bay’s upcoming Senate Democratic primary election. Assemblywoman Mary Salas and former Assemblyman Juan Vargas are vying to win the heavily Democratic 40th District’s seat that will soon be vacated by Denise Ducheny due to term limits.

May 18, 2010 (Chula Vistas)– Assemblymember Mary Salas, Democratic candidate for State Senate in the 40th District, donated a $500 contribution she received from British Petroleum (BP) to the San Diego League of Conservation Voters in protest of the company’s response to the massive Gulf Oil spill.She also accused her primary opponent, Juan Vargas, of being "in the pocket" of big oil companies.

May 18, 2010 (Chula Vistas)– Assemblymember Mary Salas, Democratic candidate for State Senate in the 40th District, donated a $500 contribution she received from British Petroleum (BP) to the San Diego League of Conservation Voters in protest of the company’s response to the massive Gulf Oil spill.She also accused her primary opponent, Juan Vargas, of being "in the pocket" of big oil companies.

By Buck Shott

May11, 2010 – This week, we bring you a ringside seat for the latest political knock-down, drag-out fights in state and local races.

MISSING IN ACTION: Ballot statements have been published for the June primary—but one local candidate’s statement is conspicuously absent.