Assemblyman Dario Frommer and Assemblywoman Carol Liu, Democrats who represent Glendale and Pasadena and much of the area served by Glendale College, won decisive victories over their challengers Tuesday.

In what was supposed to be a very close race in the 44th assembly district, incumbent Liu, D-Pasadena, beat her opponent, Republican Dan O’Connell, with more than 60 percent of the votes.

Liu was favored to win in most polls, but not by the surprising final margin. At the victory party at Pasadena Hilton Tuesday night, Liu supporters cheered as late results gave her a commanding lead.

“We ran a very basic campaign,” said Liu about her victory. “We did not do anything spectacular; we tried to run the best campaign possible; with the hard work and dedication of staff and volunteers it made things easier.”

O’Connell, at a party in a Mexican restaurant nearby, said that he was disappointed in the results but he thinks that hope there is still hope. “This was learning experience for me, and next time I will go back and see what mistakes were made and try to change them,” said O’Connell. “I’ll sit down with my wife after a quick vacation and we’ll see if running in 2004 would be the right move.”

Liu represents La Cañada Flintridge, Montrose, La Crescenta, Pasadena, Altadena and Arcadia.
“You can’t do everything you want in two years,” said Liu, “but I hope to continue my the endless fight for education and the environment.”

When asked what her main goals were for her next term, she responded, “I really want to work that we get education first, especially getting more teachers in the classrooms where we need them.”

Frommer was also elected to his second term, handily beating Republican challenger Ingrid Geyer with 61 percent of the vote. Geyer seemed to lack party support in her race against Frommer, whose district also includes Los Feliz, Burbank, Toluca Lake, North Hollywood and Silver Lake.