Susan Bonilla in special primary today

Susan Bonilla, the Concord Democrat who has been Benicia’s member of the Assembly since redistricting moved the city out of Mariko Yamada’s district, is hoping voters will let her succeed state Sen. Mark DeSaulnier, also from Concord, who was elected to U.S. Rep. George Miller’s position last year after Miller retired.

If Bonilla is the successful candidate, either Tuesday or in the special general election May 19, it would cost Benicia its representation in the Assembly for several weeks, according to Allie Schembra, press assistant in the California Secretary of State’s office.

DeSaulnier and Miller both have endorsed Bonilla in Tuesday’s District 7 Senate race. That district has portions of east and central Contra Costa County and the Tri-Valley area of Alameda County.

Bonilla faces several Democrats in the race: former Assemblymember Joan Buchanan of Alamo, Orinda Mayor Steve Glazer and teacher-scientist-lecturer Terry Kremin, also of Concord.

The sole Republican, Michaela M. Hurtle, a Pleasanton information technology business executive, withdrew from the race last month a week after the deadline to have her name removed from the ballot. Hurtle has endorsed Glazer.

Benicians won’t be voting in the special primary Tuesday.

If no one wins more than 50 percent of the ballots Tuesday, the top vote-getters will face off in a special general election May 19.

Should the race create a vacancy in the Assembly, Gov. Jerry Brown would call a special election that would take place from 126 to 140 days after he makes the announcement, Schembra said.

Until then, “it would be vacant,” she said.

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