Democrats repel Republicans in California (Roundup)

Nov 3, 2010, 8:45 GMT

Los Angeles - California voters bucked the Republican trend Tuesday, reelecting Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer and choosing Democrat Jerry Brown to succeed Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor, according to projections.

California voters rejected a ballot initiative to legalize recreational use of marijuana.

It will be the fourth senate term for veteran politician Boxer, 69, who beat Republican challenger Carly Fiorina.

Brown, 72, previously served two terms as governor from 1974-82. He overcame a massively financed challenge by billionaire Republican Whitman to replace Arnold Schwarzenegger as governor. Brown is currently the state attorney general.

He first ran for office in 1969, and has also served as the state's secretary of state and the mayor of Oakland, California, as well as running for president three times.

The races attracted widespread interest because of the importance of California as the most populous US state, but also because both Republican women were millionaire former chief executive's of high- profile technology companies.

Fiorina headed Hewlett Packard from 1999-05, while Whitman guided auction site eBay from a 1998 startup to become one of the web's leading retailers before leaving in 2008.

Whitman invested a record 150 million dollars of her own money in her campaign but never achieved the recognition enjoyed by Brown.

Her prospects were damaged late in the campaign when it was revealed that she had employed an undocumented immigrant as a housekeeper for nine years, only to fire her as she began her political run.

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