Dealth Penalty Opponent Wins California AG Race

Los Angeles District Attorney Steve Cooley has conceded the race for California Attorney General to Kamala Harris, San Francisco's district attorney.

Cooley's senior campaign adviser announced that decision in a media conference call Wednesday morning, saying the candidate lost primarily because of higher Democratic turnout and the more liberal California voters.

In the high-profile race, Harris led Cooley by nearly 53,000 votes (or 0.5 percent) - 4,385,438 to 4,332,596 - according to a Los Angeles Times review of updated vote tallies in all 58 counties.

Cooley returned to work at the Los Angeles DA's office Wednesday, and called Harris to congratulate her. He won't seek a recount, according to Kevin Spillane, his campaign advisor.

"Every other member of the Republican ticket lost by 10 points or more," Spillane said. "We do believe a recount would narrow the margin significantly. The chances of success, the cost and the logistical complications don't make it worth it."

Harris personally opposes the death penalty. In April 2004, she declined to seek the dealth penalty against David Hill, the suspect later convicted of killing San Francisco police officer Isaac Espinoza.

In September of 2009, Harris announced she would not seek the dealth penalty against Edwin Ramos, an illegal immigrant and purported MS-13 gang member accused of murdering Tony Bologna and his sons Michael and Matthew.

In a statement on his Website, Steve Cooley thanked the law enforcement agencies that had endorsed him.

"I take great pride in the fact that I received the endorsement of every law enforcement organization in this race as well as that of every major daily newspaper in California but one," Cooley wrote in the statement. "I was particularly gratified to receive the support of so many fellow district attorneys. While my campaign team tells me that endorsements do not necessarily win elections — and the results confirm that — it still means a great deal to me on a personal level."