UPDATE: RICHARDSON WINS - CLICK HERE!!!
The BET Awards aired yesterday, topping off quite a year for actress/singer Jennifer Hudson.
The American Idol loser turned Dreamgirl pushed through adversity and is now at the top of her game.
Hudson was obviously stealing notes out of Laura Richardson's playbook.
Receiving 37.8% of the vote, the Democratic assemblymember won big last night and -- absent global warming killing us all -- will be the winner on August 21, 2007 in a runoff election.
Richardson will go up against the top Republican vote getter who received 7.6% of the vote and the Green Party and Libertarian candidates who received even a smaller proportion of the votes.
With her decisive victory over a dozen candidates in the Democratic primary --each vying to replace the late Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald, Richardson has indeed landed her dream job.I saw Laura Richardson last Friday and the first thing I noticed was that she had slimmed down.
"Hey you! It's been a long time." Laura said. "You look great," I retorted.
"I'm trying. I've been going to the gym."
By the looks of things, Laura's been hitting more than the weights. Over the last ten years, she has been relentless about serving the community in an elected capacity and living her life's purpose.
Having grown up in a Teamster household, Laura and I met in the late 1990's when she first launched a bid to get on the Los Angeles School Board. Lacking money, name recognition and the support of other Black elected officials, she lost. Big time!
Undeterred, she ran again for a different position. She lost.
Having accumulated fans and supporters who believed in her, Richardson made one last ditch effort to run for a seat on the city council in Long Beach.
To say the election was controversial was an understatement. Even after her narrow victory, the person she ran against demanded a recount - ultimately conceding that she was the rightful victor.
Laura went on to serve Snoop Dogg's old stomping ground faithfully, contributing to this port town and fifth largest city in California in such a way to help it become a vibrant, desirable place to live, shop and raise a family.
It was only a matter of time before this biracial, formerly married sister would ascend to the California State Assembly.
After winning an unprecedented three elections in Long Beach, this time she had back-up. With endorsements from the Black elite, and a proven track record, Richardson was sworn-in November 2006 to a seat her mentor has once held.
Prior to Congresswoman Juanita Millender McDonald representing the 37th Congressional District, she earned her political stripes by serving on the Carson City Council. McDonald then went on to win the assembly seat Richardson subsequently captured. 
After former Compton Mayor Walter Tucker, pictured right, resigned his seat in Congress over corruptions charges that landed him in prison (Kappa brother Mervyn Dymally - the first Black Lieutenant Governor of California - previously held the seat), Juanita McDonald was ready for the national stage.
Beating out several challengers, including former Compton Mayor Omar Bradley, Juanita McDonald joined Maxine Waters, and later Diane Watson, as the representatives giving a much needed voice to Southern Californians in general, and the Black community in particular.
Stricken with cancer last year, Congresswoman McDonald left her mark on Washington and Southern California politics.
And Laura Richardson knows that the baton has now been passed on to her.
Under California law for special elections to Congress and other partisan offices, if no candidate receives an outright majority, the top vote getters from each party in the special election primary race face off in the special election general contest.Richardson beat out Democratic State Senator Jenny Oropeza who received 31.3% of the vote in this heavily Democratic district.
With 18 candidates on the ballot, getting that majority now was difficult. Turnout was 11.2% despite the infusion of independent expenditures and a tug of war between tribal casino interests organized labor and between some Latinos and Blacks as to this seat.
Richardson, who is the Assistant Speaker pro Tem of the Assembly, despite being elected to that body just last November, will continue to serve in the Assembly. At age 45, even with demographic shifts in the district she will likely remain in the Congressional seat for many years.
Richardson will remain in the Assembly for another two months and Oropeza will continue to serve in the State Senate. Oropeza has wished her well.
There will be a special election for the 55th Assembly District seat, a Democratic stronghold, after the end of this year's regular session of the legislature and before the legislature reconvenes and the second year of the 2007-08 term begins in January.