Democrats win big in California statewide and local races

Early and unofficial election results reported by San Jose Inside show significant Democratic victories in California's statewide offices and legislative races as of 10:33 p.m. on November 3.

Xavier Becerra, the Democratic candidate, leads with 65% of the vote against Republican Steve Hilton's 35% in the statewide race. In the San Jose area, several Democratic candidates hold commanding leads in their districts.

In the 14th District, Aisha Wahab leads Melissa Hernandez with 57% to 43%. Sam Liccardo, the mayor of San Jose, holds 76% of the vote in the 16th District against his Republican opponent.

Other local Democratic incumbents such as Jimmy Panetta, Marc Berman, Ash Kalra, Patrick Ahrens, Gail Pellerin, and Robert Rivas also show strong leads ranging from 71% to 76% in their respective districts.

The election also featured Proposition 40, the so-called 'billionaire tax,' which faced opposition funded by some of the state's wealthiest residents. Supporters argued the tax would require billionaires to pay their fair share to fund social services. Additionally, Proposition 45 aimed to facilitate housing development but raised concerns among pro-housing groups about potential increased urban sprawl.