SANTA CLARITA STAYS GOP AMID BLUE WAVE.

Byline: CHARLES F. BOSTWICK Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA -- The United States' political map turned a lot more blue in Tuesday's election, but one spot that stayed predictably Republican red was the Santa Clarita Valley.

While Democrats were gaining control of Congress, Santa Clarita voters re-elected a longtime Republican congressman and chose a new GOP Assembly member.

U.S. Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, the Santa Clarita Republican who has represented parts of the Antelope Valley for 14 years, escaped the Democrats' congressional charge unscathed, but for the first time since his first term he finds himself in the minority.

Republican Cameron Smyth, who cut his political teeth on the Santa Clarita City Council, took over for termed-out Assemblyman Keith Richman, R-Granada Hills.

McKeon won the 25th Congressional District with 59.9 percent of the vote to 35.8 percent for Democrat Robert Rodriguez and 4.3 percent for Libertarian David Erickson.

It was more of the same in the Castaic Lake Water Agency where four board members -- Peter Kavounas, Tom Campbell, Jacqueline McMillan and Ed Colley -- won re-election. Colley's race, against former Santa Clarita Mayor Jan Heidt, was the only close contest of the four.

Staff Writer Patricia Farrell Aidem contributed to this story.

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