The 2006 United States Senate election in California was held November 7, 2006. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein won re-election to her third full term.

Feinstein stood against Republican Dick Mountjoy, who had never held a statewide elected position, but had been a state senator for several years. Also running was Libertarian Michael Metti, Don Grundmann of the American Independent Party, Todd Chretien of the Green Party and Marsha Feinland of the Peace and Freedom Party.

Because California is a state that requires a large amount of money to wage a competitive statewide campaign, it is not unusual - as was the case for this race - for a popular incumbent to have no significant opponent. Several prominent Republicans, such as Bill Jones, Matt Fong, and others, declined to run, and a previously announced challenger, businessman Bill Mundell, withdrew his declaration after determining he would not be a self-funded candidate (as Michael Huffington was in the 1994 election). This is the most recent Senate election in California where both major candidates are deceased.

Primaries Link to primary results

Democratic

Green

Others

Candidates Democratic Party Dianne Feinstein, incumbent U.S. Senator, former Mayor of San Francisco

Lost in primary Martin Luther Church, retired program manager Colleen Fernald, artist and entrepreneur

Republican Party Richard Mountjoy, former State Senator, former State Assemblyman and candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1998

American Independent Party Don J. Grundmann, chiropractor

Green Party Todd Chretien, writer

Lost in primary Tian Harter, green activist and a 1992 Congressional nominee Kent Mesplay, environmental activist, air quality inspector, and candidate for president in 2004

Libertarian Party Michael Metti, businessman and perennial candidate

Peace and Freedom Party Marsha Feinland, state party chair, socialist activist, and retired teacher

General election Controversy On September 22, the Los Angeles Times reported that Mountjoy's official biography, as found on his campaign website, falsely asserted that he had served aboard the battleship USS Missouri during the Korean War—he had actually served aboard the heavy cruiser USS Bremerton. A review of the ships' logs corroborated this and the website was quickly changed to reflect his service aboard the Bremerton rather than the Missouri.

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Rothenberg Political Report November 6, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 6, 2006

Polling Source Date Feinstein (D) Mountjoy (R)Field PollField Poll April 19, 2006 59% 31%Los Angeles Times PollLos Angeles Times Poll May 28, 2006 59% 30%Field PollField Poll June 4, 2006 54% 28%RasmussenRasmussen July 13, 2006 60% 33%Public PolicyPublic Policy July 26, 2006 42% 21%Field PollField Poll August 3, 2006 56% 34%SurveyUSASurveyUSA August 28, 2006 56% 34%RasmussenRasmussen August 31, 2006 56% 34%RasmussenRasmussen September 12, 2006 58% 35%DatamarDatamar September 18, 2006 49% 38%SurveyUSASurveyUSA September 27, 2006 55% 35%Los Angeles Times PollLos Angeles Times Poll September 29, 2006 54% 36%Mason-DixonMason-Dixon October 2, 2006 53% 23%Field PollField Poll October 3, 2006 57% 29%SurveyUSASurveyUSA October 26, 2006 59% 33%Field PollField Poll November 1, 2006 55% 33%SurveyUSASurveyUSA November 5, 2006 60% 31%

Results Feinstein won the election easily. She won almost every major populated area, winning in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento, and San Diego. Feinstein was projected the winner as soon as the polls closed at 11 P.M. EST.

By county Final results from the Secretary of State of California.

County Feinstein Votes Mountjoy Votes Others Votes San Francisco 80.54% 187,692 8.31% 19,374 11.15% 25,979 Marin 77.56% 82,025 16.82% 17,788 5.62% 5,946 Alameda 76.07% 307,495 16.46% 66,550 7.46% 30,173 San Mateo 74.80% 152,082 20.19% 41,043 5.02% 10,200 Santa Cruz 72.96% 65,214 19.33% 17,279 7.71% 6,891 Santa Clara 69.84% 298,451 24.89% 106,383 5.27% 22,521 Sonoma 69.50% 119,672 23.01% 39,619 7.49% 12,906 Contra Costa 68.48% 205,516 26.91% 80,764 4.60% 13,818 Los Angeles 67.13% 1,298,820 27.72% 536,200 5.15% 99,646 Monterey 65.28% 56,887 29.15% 25,400 5.57% 4,852 Mendocino 64.50% 19,645 25.16% 7,662 10.34% 3,149 Yolo 64.25% 34,548 30.10% 16,187 5.65% 3,036 Napa 64.05% 27,144 30.58% 12,958 5.37% 2,277 Solano 63.06% 64,828 32.06% 32,956 4.89% 5,025 San Benito 60.74% 8,626 33.58% 4,768 5.68% 807 Imperial 60.02% 13,182 33.41% 7,338 6.57% 1,442 Humboldt 58.07% 27,652 31.51% 15,003 10.42% 4,964 Alpine 57.17% 303 35.47% 188 7.36% 39 Santa Barbara 57.00% 68,970 37.08% 44,864 5.92% 7,157 Sacramento 56.59% 201,221 37.94% 134,887 5.47% 19,447 Lake 56.41% 10,830 34.85% 6,691 8.74% 1,678 San Joaquin 54.71% 75,011 40.02% 54,874 5.27% 7,224 Merced 53.84% 22,081 41.24% 16,914 4.93% 2,021 Ventura 53.22% 115,471 42.12% 91,374 4.66% 10,110 San Diego 53.03% 403,711 42.39% 322,760 4.58% 34,875 Fresno 51.45% 89,331 43.94% 76,286 4.60% 7,993 San Luis Obispo 50.09% 47,891 44.70% 42,742 5.21% 4,977 Nevada 49.98% 21,204 43.88% 18,618 6.14% 2,606 San Bernardino 49.40% 167,821 45.17% 153,430 5.43% 18,442 Trinity 49.39% 2,824 41.20% 2,356 9.41% 538 Stanislaus 49.30% 50,656 46.24% 47,513 4.47% 4,589 Mono 48.98% 1,829 44.38% 1,657 6.64% 248 Riverside 48.54% 183,532 46.43% 175,543 5.03% 19,006 Del Norte 48.11% 3,207 44.33% 2,955 7.56% 504 Butte 47.02% 32,131 45.82% 31,316 7.16% 4,892 Kings 47.02% 10,660 48.59% 11,016 4.40% 997 Tuolumne 45.52% 9,535 48.83% 10,228 5.65% 1,184 Orange 45.13% 321,646 49.66% 353,924 5.21% 37,096 Placer 44.53% 53,956 50.85% 61,615 4.62% 5,594 Plumas 44.36% 3,881 49.66% 4,345 5.98% 523 Amador 44.35% 6,534 50.10% 7,382 5.55% 818 Calaveras 44.33% 7,860 48.74% 8,642 6.92% 1,227 El Dorado 43.25% 28,915 50.99% 34,091 5.76% 3,853 Mariposa 42.98% 3,249 50.83% 3,842 6.19% 468 Madera 42.39% 12,658 52.27% 15,609 5.34% 1,596 Tulare 42.09% 28,694 53.58% 36,526 4.34% 2,956 Inyo 41.41% 2,641 51.44% 3,281 7.15% 456 Siskiyou 41.20% 6,752 51.46% 8,433 7.34% 1,203 Colusa 41.08% 1,994 54.53% 2,647 4.39% 213 Sierra 40.67% 641 51.65% 814 7.68% 121 Yuba 39.94% 5,487 52.82% 7,257 7.24% 994 Sutter 39.48% 9,297 55.69% 13,113 4.83% 1,138 Kern 39.29% 58,330 55.19% 81,944 5.53% 8,205 Tehama 38.70% 6,914 55.22% 9,865 6.08% 1,086 Shasta 37.94% 22,097 56.45% 32,876 5.61% 3,267 Glenn 37.84% 2,813 56.76% 4,219 5.39% 401 Lassen 35.06% 2,968 56.93% 4,820 8.01% 678 Modoc 34.44% 1,264 57.03% 2,093 8.53% 313

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Butte (largest city: Chico) Del Norte (largest community: Crescent City) Mono (largest municipality: Mammoth Lakes) Nevada (largest town: Truckee) San Luis Obispo (largest town: San Luis Obispo) Trinity (largest community: Weaverville)

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican Kings (largest municipality: Hanford)

By congressional district Feinstein won 40 of 53 congressional districts, including six that elected Republicans.

District Feinstein Mountjoy Representative 63% 30%Mike Thompson 42% 52%Wally Herger 49% 46%Dan Lungren 44% 50%John Doolittle 67% 27%Doris Matsui 73% 20%Lynn Woolsey 71% 24%George Miller 80% 8%Nancy Pelosi 81% 8%Barbara Lee 66% 30%Ellen Tauscher55%40%Richard Pombo (109th Congress)Jerry McNerney (110th Congress) 77% 18%Tom Lantos 75% 20%Pete Stark 72% 22%Anna Eshoo 69% 26%Mike Honda 70% 25%Zoe Lofgren 69% 25%Sam Farr 59% 36%Dennis Cardoza 47% 49%George Radanovich 60% 34%Jim Costa 43% 52%Devin Nunes37%57%Bill Thomas (109th Congress)Kevin McCarthy (110th Congress) 62% 32%Lois Capps 49% 46%Elton Gallegly 45% 50%Buck McKeon 48% 47%David Dreier 63% 31%Brad Sherman 75% 20%Howard Berman 64% 31%Adam Schiff 72% 24%Henry Waxman 79% 14%Xavier Becerra 68% 27%Hilda Solis 84% 11%Diane Watson 74% 21%Lucille Roybal-Allard 81% 15%Maxine Waters 63% 31%Jane Harman 77% 18%Juanita Millender-McDonald 72% 23%Grace Napolitano 64% 31%Linda Sánchez 44% 50%Ed Royce 44% 51%Jerry Lewis 42% 53%Gary Miller 65% 30%Joe Baca 46% 48%Ken Calvert 51% 45%Mary Bono 48% 47%Dana Rohrabacher 59% 34%Loretta Sanchez 46% 50%John B. T. Campbell III 42% 53%Darrell Issa 51% 45%Brian Bilbray 63% 32%Bob Filner 46% 50%Duncan L. Hunter 66% 29%Susan Davis

See also 2006 United States Senate elections

References

External links JoinCalifornia 2006 General Election SmartVoter.org page on the California Senate race.

Campaign websites (Archived) Dianne Feinstein Dick Mountjoy Michael Metti Todd Chretien Tian Harter Marsha Feinland