>> I'M LARRY BEIL AND I'M KRISTEN SZE. WE BEGIN TODAY WITH THE ELECTION AND THE RACE TO FILL THE SEAT VACATED BY THE LATE DIANNE FEINSTEIN, WITH STEVE GARVEY AND ADAM SCHIFF'S PRIMARY WIN. >> THAT MEANS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST THREE DECADES, CALIFORNIA WILL NOT HAVE A FEMALE SENATOR IN D.C. THAT'S NOT ALL. SOME BAY AREA CONGRESSIONAL SEATS HELD BY WOMEN HAVE BEEN LOST TO MALE CANDIDATES AS WELL. >> ABC7 NEWS REPORTER ANSER HASSAN TAKES A CLOSER LOOK. >> FORMER BASEBALL STAR STEVE GARVEY, A REPUBLICAN, AND DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE. ADAM SCHIFF WILL COMPETE IN NOVEMBER TO FILL DIANNE FEINSTEIN'S U.S. SENATE SEAT FROM CALIFORNIA, EFFECTIVELY ENDING THE CONGRESSIONAL CAREERS OF BARBARA LEE AND KATIE PORTER. >> IT'S SUCH A SHAME THAT WE WILL NOT BE HAVING A FEMALE AS OUR SENATOR FOR THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. I THINK THAT HAVING A WOMEN'S PERSPECTIVE IS REALLY IMPORTANT. >> SAMINA USMAN IS CONSTITUENT CAMPAIGN COORDINATOR FOR BARBARA LEE'S SENATE CAMPAIGN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MORE THAN THREE DECADES, CALIFORNIA WON'T HAVE A FEMALE SENATOR, AND OF THE BAY AREA'S 12 CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS, ONLY THREE WILL BE REPRESENTED BY WOMEN NANCY PELOSI IN SAN FRANCISCO, ZOE LOFGREN IN THE SOUTH BAY AND LATEEFAH SIMON, THE LIKELY REPLACEMENT FOR BARBARA LEE'S 12TH DISTRICT IN THE EAST BAY. IF SHE WINS IN NOVEMBER, IT SPEAKS TO THE ISSUES THAT WOMEN FACE RUNNING IN POLITICS. DOCTOR SAMANTHA FRANCOIS IS A PROFESSOR OF WOMEN'S STUDIES AT CAL STATE EAST BAY. SHE SUGGESTS THAT LOWER VOTER TURNOUT MEANS FEWER YOUNGER VOTERS, WHO ARE OFTEN MORE LIKELY TO VOTE FOR MINORITY CANDIDATES. SHE ADDS THAT FEMALE CANDIDATES STILL FACE A TOUGH TIME FUNDRAISING. >> ADAM SCHIFF OUTRAISED BOTH HIS FEMALE OPPONENTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. BOTH KATIE PORTER AND BARBARA LEE, BY LIKE 2 TO 1. >> BUT PROFESSOR FRANCOIS ALSO NOTES THAT SCHIFF GOT BIG ENDORSEMENTS FROM HIGH PROFILE FEMALE POLITICIANS LIKE PELOSI AND BARBARA BOXER, AND THAT EXIT POLLS SUGGEST THAT WOMEN VOTERS SUPPORTED SCHIFF IN EQUAL NUMBERS TO MEN. >> I THINK WE HAVE TO HAVE A BROADER LENS IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT LOCAL ELECTIONS, CITY ELECTIONS, AND COUNTY ELECTIONS. AND WE SAW OBVIOUSLY, JACKIE SPEAR REELECTED THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. WE'RE STILL SEEING THAT MOST AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT VOTERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUPPORT A CANDIDATE IF THE CANDIDATE IS A WHITE MAN. >> DOCTOR SEAN FLETCHER IS A PROFESSOR OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AT SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY. HE SAYS WOMEN CANDIDATES MAY FACE BARRIERS, BUT THAT THEIR PARTIES NEED TO DO MORE TO EMPOWER THEIR FEMALE CANDIDATES. >> I WILL PUT IT ON THE SYSTEM THAT IS DESIGNED TO SELECT OUT, TO DEVELOP AND TO ULTIMATELY PROMOTE THESE WOMEN CANDIDATES AS
