LOCAL ASSEMBLYMAN BILL MONNING HAS ANNOUNCED THAT HE PLANS TO RUN FOR THE SENATE SEAT CURRENTLY HELD BY REPUBLICAN SAM BLAKESLEE. MONNING, WHO IS A DEMOCRAT MADE THE DECISION TO RUN FOR THE SENATE WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE NEWLY-DRAWN 17TH SENATE DISTRICT LINES HAVE ADDED IN THE MOSTLY-DEMOCRATIC CITIES OF SANTA CRUZ AND WATSONVILLE, AND DROPPED THE MOSTLY REPUBLICAN AREA OF NORTHERN SANTA BARBARA COUNTY. SAM BLAKESLEE, WHO LIVES IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, WAS VOTED INTO THE OFFICE IN 2010.
