Gaines favored to win

According to a late-breaking report in the Sacramento Bee, Republican Assemblyman Ted Gaines is favored to win the special election run-off against Democratic challenger Ken Cooley.

The polls in the  district, which includes parts of Sacramento and Placer counties, close at 8 p.m., though the bulk of the ballots in the low-turnout election are expected to be cast by mail.

A Gaines win would spark a special election to fill his 4th Assembly District seat.

Roseville City Councilman John Allard, a Republican, has already announced his candidacy. Gaines’ wife, Republican Beth Gaines, is also considering a run for the seat.

The Sheet also recently received an e-mail from Jeff Randall, a teacher in the Sacramento region who is also considering running for the office.

“There is a Senate Election coming up, but if Ted Gaines wins, there will be another special election needed to fill his assembly seat,” Randall wrote. “There are a lot of well connected people who are running, but I am tired of seeing this- and think we should go back to the days of the citizen legislator- and get away from those career politicians. I have pulled paperwork to look into a run for this office, and have a web site you can check out: www.voterandall2011.info.”