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By Jorge Casuso

June 4 -- Former Assembly member Fran Pavley won the Democratic primary for State Senate by a landslide Tuesday, while a measure that would have phased out rent control in cities such as Santa Monica was soundly defeated.

Prop 98 -- a statewide measure that would have ended rent control in vacated units and barred governments from taking homes, businesses and farms for private development -- lost by a more than 2 to 1 margin.

Voters, on the other hand, overwhelming approved Proposition 99, which only protects single family homes from similar eminent domain efforts and was in large part intended to fend off Prop 98’s threat to rent control.

With all the precincts counted, Prop 98 garnered only 196,194 “yes” votes (32 percent) and 424,722 “no” votes (68 percent).

By comparison, Prop 99 -- which included a “poison pill” to override the other measure if it won more votes -- won overwhelmingly, with 391,517 “yes” votes (64 percent) to 224,581 “no” votes (36 percent).

"Beyond being a clear victory for renters, the successful NO 98/YES 99 campaign showed how homeowners and renters can work together to protect our families and our housing," said Council member Kevin McKeown.

"Tenants can sleep better knowing rent control remains the law," McKeown said. "Homeowners now have real protection against eminent domain."

Proponents of Prop 98 said they would appeal to the governor and Legislature to expand the homeowner protections called for by the winning measure.

In the Democratic primary in the 23rd Senate District, which includes Santa Monica, Pavley -- who served three terms in the State legislature -- defeated State Assemblyman Lloyd Levine by a nearly 2 to 1 margin.

Pavley of Agoura Hills and Levine of Woodland Hills, who sits on two powerful committees in the Legislature, are both considered environmentally conscious and progressive.

Pavley's victory in the primary virtually assures her election to the State Senate representing a district that stretches from Oxnard to Santa Monica where Democrats outnumber Republicans two to one.

In November, she will face Republican technology security analyst Rick Montaine of Calabasas -- who defeated Leonard Lanzi, a nonprofit administrator, in the Republican primary -- and Libertarian candidate Colin Goldman, a Sherman Oaks screenwriter.

Before being termed out of the State Assembly in 2006, Pavley was seen as a major crusader in the movement to combat global warming and champion alternative energy.

The former Mayor of Agoura Hills and long time public school teacher, Pavley ushered through more than 70 bills and resolutions. The legislation she sponsored focused on education, consumer protection, public safety and the environment, including landmark legislation on global warming.

During the primary race Pavley raised $875,000 in contributions through the most recent reporting period, nearly double the $460,000 raised by Levine. Pavley also counted on the endorsements of departing incumbent Sheila Kuehl and both of California's U.S. senators.

Tuesday’s election was plagued by low voter turnout, with less than one-third of the registered voters casting ballots.