Sarah Knopp, a member of the Green Party and the International Socialist Organization, won 17.2% of the vote in the June 6 election for California's superintendent for public instruction. The result is believed to be a Green Party record for a statewide election. Knopp won more than 662,000 votes, coming second behind the Democratic Party incumbent Jack O'Connell, who had US$1 million to spend on his campaign. O'Connell came within 2% of having to face Knopp in a runoff ballot. Knopp told the US Socialist Worker, "For people who want to see a political alternative in this country, I'd say that the lesson [of the election] is that the stronger and more confidently we attack the two corporate parties, the more people will respond." Primaries for the state's gubernatorial race were also held. Peter Camejo, who has run for governor twice before and was Ralph Nader's vice-presidential running mate in the 2004 election, won the Green Party nomination.
From Green Left Weekly, June 28, 2006.
Visit the Green Left Weekly home page.