State GOP incumbents retain seats

The area’s Republican state legislators appeared to be cruising to victory Tuesday as early election results show both incumbent state assembly members and the state senator handily defeating their opponents.

Assemblyman Van Tran, who represents parts of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, held off Democratic challenger Ken Arnold, according to early returns, with state Sen. Tom Harman, who represents Costa Mesa, Newport Beach and Huntington Beach, holding off a challenge from Democrat Ginny Mayer. Neither race was considered seriously contested.

Chuck DeVore, the state assemblyman who represents much of southern Orange County, including Newport Beach, also looked to be victorious late Tuesday against Democratic challenger Michael Glover.

DeVore said he took Tuesday’s likely win as validation of the issues he’s focused on as an assemblyman, specifically on his goals of staving off more taxes and fighting for drilling for oil off the California coast.

“I’m going to continue to work hard to make sure we don’t raise taxes on hardworking Californians, and I’m going to continue to work on ... energy issues,” DeVore said.

There are two energy issues he said he’s going to push for support for from his constituents — slant-drilling to get billions of barrels of oil available within the three-mile barrier off the coast in the state, and nuclear power.

“It’s only through modern nuclear power that we can make the significant greenhouse gases goals California has set without further driving jobs out of the state,” DeVore said.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at [email protected].