Election results: Megan Dahle in comfortable lead in California 1st Assembly race
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Unofficial election results show Republican incumbent Megan Dahle winning another term in California's 1st Assembly District race.
Dahle received more than 60% of votes over Democratic challenger Belle Starr Sandwith in the Northern California district, according to ballot counts posted by the California Secretary of State.
Among counties within the district:
Dahle's support in Siskiyou County matched the district's average: Almost 62% of votes.
She garnered heavy support in conservative-leaning Shasta County, winning more than 70% of the vote. More than half of Shasta County voters registered Republican; another quarter registered Democrat.
Dahle ran on pledges to address the North State's rising cost of real estate and rent, and what she called the high cost of education in a state with low student performance. She blamed "soft-on-crime policies" for North State crime, and cited homelessness, forest management and fire suppression among the district's most pressing issues.
Dahle was favored to win on Nov. 8 after she won the June 7 primary. She pulled in more than half of votes over second-place vote getter Sandwith and distant challengers Kelly Tanner and Joshua Brown.
Her first run for 1st Assembly District was in 2019, when her husband Brian Dahle vacated the seat after he was elected to the state senate.
The 1st Assembly District stretches from northeast of Sacramento to California's north and east borders.
11:15 p.m.: Dahle pulls further ahead
Dahle has pulled further ahead of Sandwith in California's 1st Assembly District race.
The incumbent now leads with 58.7% of the vote.
9:30 p.m. Dahle leads in early returns
Early results show Dahle in the lead with 56.8% of the vote in California's 1st Assembly District race.
Sandwith garnered 43.2% of votes throughout the district.
Shasta County races to watch: See live results for contested races
6 a.m.: Original story
Voters on Tuesday choose between Republican incumbent Megan Dahle and challenger Democrat Belle Starr Sandwith for California's 1st Assembly District.
Dahle — who in 2020 won almost 59% of the mostly-conservative district's vote over Democrat Elizabeth Betancourt — is favored to win again. She garnered 52.3% of the overall vote in her district in the June primary: 62.2% in Shasta County, 52.3% in Siskiyou County.
Sandwith advanced from the primary with 34.1% of the vote: 24.5% in Shasta County, 34.2% in Siskiyou County.
District 1 covers the north center and northeast corner of California, including Shasta, Siskiyou, Lassen and Modoc counties.
Last-minute election questions?: What Shasta County voters need to know
The winning candidate will represent the North State on statewide issues including wildfire suppression, forest management, drought, homelessness and the rising cost of living.
Dahle said she considers the rising cost of living the most important issue facing her constituents: High taxes, rent and home prices.
She blames "soft-on-crime policies" for North State crime.
Other issues that top Dahle's list of concerns she said are the high cost of education with low student performance, and forest management.
Sandwith also cited cost of living as a top priority: "Skyrocketing" home insurance costs and rising homelessness.
She also said she wants improved forest management and wildfire suppression and protection policies.
Rounding out her top three priorities is drought and allocating enough water to serve the North State, Sandwith said.
More: Election 2022: California Assembly candidates Dahle, Sandwith say what needs to be fixed
Check back for updates on this race.
Jessica Skropanic is a features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers science, arts, social issues and entertainment stories. Follow her on Twitter @RS_JSkropanic and on Facebook. Join Jessica in the Get Out! Nor Cal recreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Megan Dahle leads Belle Sandwith in California 1st Assembly race
