In Santa Monica CA, Green Party member and incumbent Mike Feinstein lost his bid for re-election to the Santa Monica City Council, coming in 9th in a race where the top 4 were elected.
From the Santa Monica Daily Press, pg 6 (pdf)
City Councilman Mike Feinstein, who was dropped by SMRR this year after eight years of support and was criticized by education leaders and members of his own Green Party, lost his bid for re-election as an independent. With nearly 80 percent of precincts reporting, Feinstein was in ninth place, capturing less than 6 percent of the votes cast.
Santa Monicans for Renters Rights (SMRR) is a powerful tenants association and delivers votes. Their endorsement is crucial. Longtime PoliZeros readers will recall that a few years ago I, acting as Treasurer of the Green Party of Los Angeles County, filed a complaint with the Santa Monica Police concerning Feinstein’s handling of a $10,000 check made out to GPLAC that he deposited into a bank account with his name on it. In the end, the D.A. choose not to prosecute, however my action had long-lasting repercussions within the Green Party.
And I took no joy in any of it. Now, Feinstein has lost his city council seat, something that should have been a slam-dunk to keep, and his once prominent role in the state and national Green Party no longer exists.