Pundit With Track Record Makes Predictions

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Page 3

Pundit With Track Record Makes Predictions

By a MetNews Staff Writer

A pundit whose predictions as to the outcome of Los Angeles County judicial races has proven, over the years, to be remarkably accurate—in one election picking all of the winners—has provided his prognostications as to how voters will decide the contests on today’s ballot.

Names placed in italics are those of the candidates the political observer expects to win or go into a run-off. Numbers indicate a predicted percentage of the votes.

An asterisk appearing by a name indicates that it’s the contestant the soothsayer favors.

OFFICE 2

Robert S. Draper* 53

Tal K. Valbuena 47

OFFICE 14

Irene Lee* 60

Angie Christides 40

OFFICE 64

Maria Ghobadi* 55

Rhonda A. Haymon 35

Francisco Amador 10

OFFICE 65

Anna Slotky Reitano 33

Justin Allen Clayton 27

Samuel Wolloch Krause* 22

Chellei G. Jimenez 18

OFFICE 66

Ben Forer* 56

Cheryl C. Turner 44

OFFICE 81

David Walgren* 75

Dan Kapelovitz 25

OFFICE 87

Anthony (A.J.) Bayne* 42

Sharee Sanders Gordon 33

David De Jute 25

OFFICE 116

Pat Connolly* 60

Paul A. Thompson 40

OFFICE 131

Donna Tryfman* 33

Carlos Dammeier 28

David Ross 22

Troy W. Slaten 17

OFFICE 176

Gloria Marin* 53

Zachary Smith 47

OFFICE 181

Ryan Dibble* 55

Thanayi Lindsey 45

The pundit has no connection with the MetNews. However, in setting forth personal choices, agreement was reflected as to each of the endorsements by this newspaper except with respect to Office No. 65; the MetNews endorsed Jimenez and the pundit is rooting for Krause (though predicting that he won’t make into the general election run-off).

The Daily News and the other Southern California Newspaper Group (“SCNG”) newspapers have made eleventh-hour endorsements in the judicial races and a column on Friday by Susan Shelley compares the Editorial Board’s choices with those of the MetNews and those of former District Attorney Steve Cooley.

The SCNG newspapers reached the same conclusions as this publication except that it expressed no preference for Office 65 and disagreed as to Office No. 2. They called for the election of Valbuena, a deputy district attorney while the MetNews urged a vote for Draper, the incumbent, reasoning that Gov. Gavin Newsom is apt to make an appointment of someone with more impressive credentials than those of Valbuena to succeed the judge. A Commission on Judicial Performance hearing as to his fitness took place last month and Draper is apt to be removed from office based on misconduct or placed on an involuntary disability retirement.

Cooley made the same choices as the MetNews except that he made no endorsement for Offices 65 or 87 and, in Office No. 87, endorsed Tryfman, a deputy public defender, as did this newspaper, but co-endorsed Ross, also a deputy public defender.