Republican takes early lead for Assembly seat  — Republican Beth
Gaines took an early lead Tuesday in a special general election
to fill the Northern California state Assembly seat vacated when
her husband, Ted, won a Senate seat in January.  Gaines is
favored in the heavily Republican 4th Assembly District, which
stretches from north of Sacramento to Lake Tahoe. She had 55
percent of the vote shortly after polls closed, with 18 of 187
precincts reporting. Democrat Dennis Campanale had 45 percent.
Republicans account for 45 percent of the district's voters,
compared to 31 percent for Democrats and 19 percent who decline
to state a party preference.  A victory by Campanale is a
longshot but would bring Democrats within one vote of the two-
thirds majority needed to raise taxes without GOP votes.
Democrats currently hold a 52-27 majority.  Gaines, a first-time
candidate who works with her family's insurance business, spent
more than $260,000 on her primary and general election
campaigns. Outside groups, includi