Democrat Kamala Harris will defeat Rep. Loretta Sanchez in California’s open-seat Senate race, The Associated Press projects.Harris led Sanchez 65 percent to 35 percent with 5 percent of precincts reporting.[Election Results 2016]She succeeds retiring four-term Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, who has held the seat since 1993.Harris and Sanchez, both Democrats, finished 1-2 in California's June primary. Under the state's election rules, the top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party.Coming into Election Day, the race was rated Safe Democrat by the Rothenberg & Gonzales Political Report/Roll Call. [With Big Lead in California Senate Race, Harris Focuses Down Ballot]Harris has been California’s attorney general since 2011 and will become the second African-American woman to ever serve in the Senate. She ran on a platform emphasizing criminal justice reform. In the Senate, she has said she would like tackle a number of issues, including strengthening cybersecurity and reinstating the assault weapons ban.
