The 1999 California's 42nd congressional district special election took place on November 16, 1999, following the death of Democratic Congressman George Brown Jr. on July 15, 1999. The election took place using the blanket primary before it was struck down the following year in California Democratic Party v. Jones. Brown's widow, Marta Macias Brown, entered the race to succeed him as the frontrunner. However, State Senator Joe Baca narrowly won the Democratic nomination, receiving 32 percent of the vote to Brown's 30 percent.
In the general election, Baca faced attorney Elia Pirozzi, the Republican nominee, who had previously run against Brown in 1998. Though Republicans hoped to flip the seat, Baca ultimately defeated Pirozzi, 51–45 percent, in a low-turnout election.
Primary election Candidates Democratic Joe Baca, State Senator Marta Macias Brown, widow of Congressman Brown David Eshleman, Mayor of Fontana Bernard McClay, businessman Don Hubner, real estate agent
Republican Elia Pirozzi, attorney, 1998 Republican nominee for Congress Rob Guzman, 1994 Republican nominee for Congress Hal Styles, securities broker
Reform Rick Simon, civil engineer
Libertarian Scott Ballard, electrician
Results
General election Candidates Joe Baca (Democratic) Elia Pirozzi (Republican) Rick Simon (Reform) Scott Ballard (Libertarian)
Results
References