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Two open seats in the state Senate could be filled as soon as mid-March.

Gov. Jerry Brown announced today that special primary elections for the Inland Empire's 32nd Senate District and the San Diego-area 40th Senate District will be held March 12. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, a runoff between the top two vote-getters will be held May 14.

The vacancies were created when former Sens. Gloria Negrete McLeod, D-Chino, and Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, stepped down to take seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Both won election to the Congress in November.

While the election dates weren't finalized until today, campaigns for the open seats have already been launched. Assemblyman Ben Huseo, D-San Diego, is running for the 40th Senate District, while Assemblywoman Norma Torres, D-Pomona, and San Bernardino Auditor-Controller Larry Walker, also a Democrat, are seeking to succeed Negrete McLeod in the 32nd Senate District.

A Senate win by both assemblymembers would cause Democrats to at least temporarily lose their supermajority control in the lower house. They could regain the status once special elections for the Assembly seats were held. Senate Democrats continue to have a supermajority, even with the two resignations.

RELATED POSTS:

AM Alert: Let the 2013 special election campaigns begin

State Sens. Negrete McLeod, Vargas resign to take House seats

Election dominoes could impact timing for supermajority in CA

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