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 County results Congressional district resultsFeinstein: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Mountjoy: 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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The2006 United States Senate election in California was held November 7, 2006.Incumbent Democratic U.S. SenatorDianne Feinstein won re-election to her third full term.
Feinstein stood againstRepublicanDick Mountjoy, who had never held a statewide elected position, but had been a state senator for several years. Also running wasLibertarian Michael Metti, Don Grundmann of theAmerican Independent Party,Todd Chretien of theGreen Party andMarsha Feinland of thePeace 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 asBill 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 (asMichael Huffington was in the1994 election). Since Feinstein's death in 2023, this is the most recent U.S. Senate election in California and latest U.S. Senate election of any state in the nation where both major party Senate nominees are deceased.[1][2][3]
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dianne Feinstein (Incumbent) | 2,176,888 | 86.95 | |
| Colleen Fernald | 199,180 | 7.96 | |
| Martin Luther Church | 127,301 | 5.09 | |
| Total votes | 2,503,369 | 100.00 | |
| Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Todd Chretien | 12,821 | 46.14 | |
| Tian Harter | 10,318 | 37.13 | |
| Kent Mesplay | 4,649 | 16.73 | |
| Total votes | 27,788 | 100.00 | |
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Dick Mountjoy | 1,560,472 | 100.00% | |
| American Independent | Don J. Grundmann | 30,787 | 100.00% | |
| Libertarian | Michael S. Metti | 16,742 | 100.00% | |
| Peace and Freedom | Marsha Feinland | 4,109 | 100.00% | |
Lost in primary
Lost in primary
On September 22, theLos Angeles Times reported that Mountjoy's official biography, as found on his campaign website, falsely asserted that he had served aboard the battleshipUSS Missouri during theKorean War—he had actually served aboard the heavy cruiserUSS Bremerton. A review of the ships' logs corroborated this and the website was quickly changed to reflect his service aboard theBremerton rather than theMissouri.
I think it was just something that somebody picked up, it didn't come from me.
— Richard Mountjoy[4]
| Source | Ranking | As of |
|---|---|---|
| The Cook Political Report[5] | Solid D | November 6, 2006 |
| Sabato's Crystal Ball[6] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Rothenberg Political Report[7] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Real Clear Politics[8] | Safe D | November 6, 2006 |
| Source | Date | Feinstein (D) | Mountjoy (R) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Poll[9] | April 19, 2006 | 59% | 31% |
| Los Angeles Times Poll[10] | May 28, 2006 | 59% | 30% |
| Field Poll[11] | June 4, 2006 | 54% | 28% |
| Rasmussen[12] | July 13, 2006 | 60% | 33% |
| Public Policy[13] | July 26, 2006 | 42% | 21% |
| Field Poll[14] | August 3, 2006 | 56% | 34% |
| SurveyUSA[15] | August 28, 2006 | 56% | 34% |
| Rasmussen[16] | August 31, 2006 | 56% | 34% |
| Rasmussen[17] | September 12, 2006 | 58% | 35% |
| Datamar[18] | September 18, 2006 | 49% | 38% |
| SurveyUSA[19] | September 27, 2006 | 55% | 35% |
| Los Angeles Times Poll[20] | September 29, 2006 | 54% | 36% |
| Mason-Dixon[21] | October 2, 2006 | 53% | 23% |
| Field Poll[22] | October 3, 2006 | 57% | 29% |
| SurveyUSA[23] | October 26, 2006 | 59% | 33% |
| Field Poll[24] | November 1, 2006 | 55% | 33% |
| SurveyUSA[25] | November 5, 2006 | 60% | 31% |
Feinstein won the election easily. She won almost every major populated area, winning inLos Angeles,San Francisco,Sacramento, andSan Diego. Feinstein was projected the winner as soon as the polls closed at 11 P.M. EST.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Dianne Feinstein (incumbent) | 5,076,289 | 59.43% | |
| Republican | Dick Mountjoy | 2,990,822 | 35.02% | |
| Green | Todd Chretien | 147,074 | 1.72% | |
| Libertarian | Michael S. Metti | 133,851 | 1.57% | |
| Peace and Freedom | Marsha Feinland | 117,764 | 1.38% | |
| American Independent | Don J. Grundmann | 75,350 | 0.88% | |
| Green | Kent Mesplay (write-in) | 160 | 0.00% | |
| Independent | Jeffrey Mackler (write-in) | 108 | 0.00% | |
| Independent | Lea Sherman (write-in) | 47 | 0.00% | |
| Independent | Connor Vlakancic (write-in) | 11 | 0.00% | |
| Invalid or blank votes | 357,583 | 4.19% | ||
| Total votes | 8,899,059 | 100.00% | ||
| Turnout | 53.93 | |||
| Democratichold | ||||
Final results from theSecretary 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 |
Shift by county
Trend by countyFeinstein won 40 of 53 congressional districts, including six that elected Republicans.[28]
| District | Feinstein | Mountjoy | Representative |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 63% | 30% | Mike Thompson |
| 2nd | 42% | 52% | Wally Herger |
| 3rd | 49% | 46% | Dan Lungren |
| 4th | 44% | 50% | John Doolittle |
| 5th | 67% | 27% | Doris Matsui |
| 6th | 73% | 20% | Lynn Woolsey |
| 7th | 71% | 24% | George Miller |
| 8th | 80% | 8% | Nancy Pelosi |
| 9th | 81% | 8% | Barbara Lee |
| 10th | 66% | 30% | Ellen Tauscher |
| 11th | 55% | 40% | Richard Pombo (109th Congress) |
| Jerry McNerney (110th Congress) | |||
| 12th | 77% | 18% | Tom Lantos |
| 13th | 75% | 20% | Pete Stark |
| 14th | 72% | 22% | Anna Eshoo |
| 15th | 69% | 26% | Mike Honda |
| 16th | 70% | 25% | Zoe Lofgren |
| 17th | 69% | 25% | Sam Farr |
| 18th | 59% | 36% | Dennis Cardoza |
| 19th | 47% | 49% | George Radanovich |
| 20th | 60% | 34% | Jim Costa |
| 21st | 43% | 52% | Devin Nunes |
| 22nd | 37% | 57% | Bill Thomas (109th Congress) |
| Kevin McCarthy (110th Congress) | |||
| 23rd | 62% | 32% | Lois Capps |
| 24th | 49% | 46% | Elton Gallegly |
| 25th | 45% | 50% | Buck McKeon |
| 26th | 48% | 47% | David Dreier |
| 27th | 63% | 31% | Brad Sherman |
| 28th | 75% | 20% | Howard Berman |
| 29th | 64% | 31% | Adam Schiff |
| 30th | 72% | 24% | Henry Waxman |
| 31st | 79% | 14% | Xavier Becerra |
| 32nd | 68% | 27% | Hilda Solis |
| 33rd | 84% | 11% | Diane Watson |
| 34th | 74% | 21% | Lucille Roybal-Allard |
| 35th | 81% | 15% | Maxine Waters |
| 36th | 63% | 31% | Jane Harman |
| 37th | 77% | 18% | Juanita Millender-McDonald |
| 38th | 72% | 23% | Grace Napolitano |
| 39th | 64% | 31% | Linda Sánchez |
| 40th | 44% | 50% | Ed Royce |
| 41st | 44% | 51% | Jerry Lewis |
| 42nd | 42% | 53% | Gary Miller |
| 43rd | 65% | 30% | Joe Baca |
| 44th | 46% | 48% | Ken Calvert |
| 45th | 51% | 45% | Mary Bono |
| 46th | 48% | 47% | Dana Rohrabacher |
| 47th | 59% | 34% | Loretta Sanchez |
| 48th | 46% | 50% | John B. T. Campbell III |
| 49th | 42% | 53% | Darrell Issa |
| 50th | 51% | 45% | Brian Bilbray |
| 51st | 63% | 32% | Bob Filner |
| 52nd | 46% | 50% | Duncan L. Hunter |
| 53rd | 66% | 29% | Susan Davis |
Campaign websites (Archived)
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