Voters in 12 Northern California counties are choosing a
successor to a Republican state senator who died in office last
year.  Republican Assemblyman Ted Gaines of Granite Bay is
competing in Tuesday's special election with Democrat Ken
Cooley, the mayor of Rancho Cordova. They emerged as the top
vote-getters in their parties after the special primary Nov. 2.
Gaines is favored because Republicans hold an 11-point advantage
in voter registration. He already represents nearly a third of
the 1st Senate District, which had been represented by the late
Sen. Dave Cox, a Republican from Fair Oaks.   The district
stretches from the Oregon border south to Mono Lake and includes
all or parts of Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Lassen,
Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento and Sierra
counties.