Votes Still Being Counted In Several Races

By Bill Johnson Published Nov 13, 2002 04:50 am Updated Jan 31, 2009 05:35 pm

The Republican candidate has jumped ahead in California´s only undecided state Senate race, but Democrats continued to lead in tight contests for state controller and an Assembly seat.

Republican Jeff Denham has moved ahead of ahead of former Assemblyman and state parks director Rusty Areias by 2,057 votes in the 12th Senate District. Areias had led by 284 votes earlier in the day for the Modesto-to-Salinas area seat.

Democrat Steve Westly leads the race for controller by more than 20,000 votes over Republican Tom Mc-Clintock with more than 400,000 ballots to be tabulated statewide. And in the only remaining Assembly race, Democrat Nicole Parra of Hanford is clinging to a 187-vote lead over Bakersfield businessman Dean Gardner in the 30th District.