On February 22, California State Senator Michael Rubio (D-Shafter) resigned from the Senate. He had been elected to his first four-year term in 2010. Now California will hold a special election to fill the vacancy. The district is in the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley. See this story.
A BIG DEAL vacancy election due to the 2/3 veto proof stuff in the CA ANTI-Democracy minority rule gerrymander regime.
Since the district is an even-numbered district, it will be contested using the boundaries set in 2001.
The district is extremely racially gerrymandered. Though the article says he is from Shafter, he may be from Bakersfield. He used a Bakersfield PO Box in 2010, and his district office is in Bakersfield (outside the new district). It is possible that he currently lives outside the district, but would live in the new district. Maybe his new job will give him more freedom in choosing his residence.
#2 In 2010, the Kern County Registrar had Rubio listed in the wrong district (the one he ran in and was elected from). In 2011, he moved into the district he was elected from, losing $85,000 on a short sale. Later in 2011, the redistricting commission moved his old residence back into the district he represents.