John Garamendi

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom declares candidacy for Calif lieutenant governor. After dropping out of the gubernatorial race last year, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced Friday that he is running for lieutenant governor.

Political drama in Calif. underscores Schwarzenegger's challenge as he begins final year. At the start of his final year in office, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appealed to California lawmakers to work with him to pull the state out of its financial crisis and reform state government.

Rejection of Schwarzenegger's lt. gov nominee sets up clash between governor, state Assembly. The California Assembly on Thursday rejected Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's pick for lieutenant governor, setting up a potential legal showdown after the governor said he would attempt to seat his nominee despite the vote.

Defense lawyers argue that the gay community is powerful after plaintiffs rest their case. Proponents of California's gay marriage ban took control of the trial considering the constitutionality of the measure after plaintiffs rested their case on Monday. The trial is now in its third week in a San Francisco courtroom. Witnesses for the defense were under pressure to chip away at arguments made by the plaintiffs over the past two weeks. Specifically, that the ban, known as Proposition 8, was approved out of animus towards gay men and lesbians. Their first witness, Dr. Kenneth P. Miller, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in Southern California, said that while proponents voted twice to define marriage as a heterosexual union, they did not move to strip away other laws that recognize gay unions, including domestic partnerships. ?California voters have not used the initiative process nor the popular referendum to repeal or limit the Legislature's other broad expansion

Senator Carl Levin will schedule a hearing on repeal of the military's ban on open gay service in January. Senator Carl Levin will schedule a hearing on repeal of the military's ban on open gay service in January, 'Stars and Stripes' reported. Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told reporters on Thursday that both Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen will be called to testify at the hearing, but refused to provide additional details. Last fall, both chambers of Congress postponed hearings on the issue. Levin, a Democrat from Michigan, said the Fort Hood shootings would take precedence. The policy, also known as ?don't ask, don't tell,? is the 1993 law that prohibits gay and lesbian service members from revealing their sexuality at the risk of losing their jobs. President Obama promised gay activists attending an October fundraiser that he would end the policy. ?I will end 'don't ask, don't tell,'? Obama said. ?That is my comm

Schwarzenegger nominates moderate Republican state senator for open lt. governor seat. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has nominated a Republican state senator to fill California's recently vacated lieutenant governor seat.

Promised fall hearings on repeal of the military's ban on open gay service in Congress are likely tabled for now. Promised fall hearings on repeal of the military's ban on open gay service in Congress are likely tabled for now, TheHill.com reported Saturday. Both chambers of Congress have likely delayed hearings on the issue. Senator Carl Levin, a Democrat from Michigan, said in a C-SPAN Newsmaker interview to be broadcast Sunday that the Senate Armed Services Committee, which he chairs, will postpone hearings till sometime next year to concentrate on investigating the Fort Hood shootings. The policy, also known as ?don't ask, don't tell,? is the 1993 law that prohibits gay and lesbian service members from revealing their sexuality at the risk of losing their jobs. President Obama promised gay activists attending an October fundraiser that he would end the policy. ?I will end 'don't ask, don't tell,'? Obama said. ?That is my commitment to you.? ?This time is not being lost,? Levin said

Republicans sweep governor races in Virginia, New Jersey _ troubling sign for Dems, Obama. Independents who swept Barack Obama to a historic 2008 victory broke big for Republicans on Tuesday as the GOP wrested political control from Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey, a troubling sign for the president and his party heading into an important midterm election year.

Some notable races and measures in Tuesday's election:

Some notable races and measures on state ballots. Some notable races and measures in Tuesday's election:

Some notable races and measures in Tuesday's election:

Some notable races and measures in Tuesday's election:

Some notable races and measures in Tuesday's election:

Some notable races and measures in Tuesday's election:

Democrats win Northern Calif. House seat, elect career politician loyal to Obama policies. California Lt. Gov. John Garamendi has won a special election to a Northern California congressional seat, keeping the district in Democratic hands.

Virginia, New Jersey to elect governors in an early test of Obama political influence. In a very early test of President Barack Obama's political influence, two states are choosing whether to continue Democratic rule while voters elsewhere elect a handful of congressmen and big-city mayors.

What's at stake in Tuesday's elections. What's at stake in Tuesday's election:

Democrats have upper hand as they seek to retain open Northern California congressional seat. Lt. Gov. John Garamendi, a fixture in state and national politics for 35 years, is expected to maintain the Democratic Party's hold Tuesday on a congressional seat that stretches from the eastern San Francisco Bay area through the California delta.

Opening in Democratic-leaning California congressional district attracts many candidates. More than a dozen candidates, including the lieutenant governor, two state lawmakers and an openly gay Iraq war veteran, are running to fill an open congressional seat in a special election in Northern California next week.

Wildfires are continuing to rage in California, where efforts to control the week-old blazes are being hampered by high winds and difficult terrain, state fire prevention agency Calfire said Saturday.