She wasn't on the ballot, but Assembly Member Nicole Parra has emerged as a big Election Day winner.

The Hanford Democrat, who terms out on Nov. 30, angered some in her own party by endorsing Gilmore. It's hard to know how much Parra's support helped, but if Gilmore hangs on to win -- and Parra says he will -- she probably could take some credit.
Meanwhile, her Assembly district director, Richard Valle of Corcoran, won a seat on the Kings County Board of Supervisors.

But Parra's biggest prize might have been Barack Obama's win. Parra was an early supporter of Obama at a time when many California Democrats were behind Hillary Clinton. In the days leading up to Tuesday's election, Parra said she was helping the Obama camp get out the vote in Nevada.

She's planning to send a résumé to the Obama's transition team, she said, hoping perhaps to land a job in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

State Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, a long-time rival of Parra's, was also an early Obama supporter. He terms out in 2010 and has said he will run for California lieutenant governor.

Would he consider a job in Washington instead? Here's what he said in an email:

"I was one of the first elected officials in California for Barack. Obviously if my new president asked me to serve I would have to give that serious consideration. However, until that time I am sticking to my plan and running for LG."