Update, 1:05 p.m.: Bloom campaign releases cautious statement about possibly victory, after the jump.

Santa Monica Mayor Richard Bloom holds on to an extremely slim lead over Assemblywoman Betsy Butler. With 100 percent of precincts reporting, Bloom captured 69,280 votes, or 50.08 percent, to Butler's 69,062 votes, or 49.92 percent.

If those figures stay steady, underdog Bloom will upset Butler, who was endorsed by power players in the state and local Democratic establishment. Bloom raised only $507,000 compared to Butler's $1.3 million.

Butler's campaign had been mired in controversy over her failure to vote on a California sex-pervert bill, which would have more easily removed predatory teachers from classrooms for committing acts of sexual and physical abuse.

Butler's non-vote helped to kill the bill, however. Bloom said he would have supported the measure. L.A. Weekly and CNN's Anderson Cooper exposed Butler's non-vote during the summer.

Bloom hammered Butler over the controversy, and may now be heading to Sacramento.

Update: On November 7, Brian Ross Adams, Richard Bloom's campaign manager, released this statement:

“After a grueling campaign, Mayor Bloom and his family were up all night watching the election results come in. Today, he is trying to get some badly needed rest. Mayor Bloom wants to thank his supporters, volunteers and staff. He finished the night ahead by 218 votes, but the process is not yet complete. Votes will be counted for the next 2 weeks and he, along with many others, will follow the count closely and optimistically.”

Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.

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