The defeat of Prop 93 started a reevaluation of leadership in the Legislature at a time when lawmakers are faced with a 14.5 billion dollar budget hole. Democrats in the state Senate selected Darrell Steinberg of Sacramento as their replacement for President Pro Tem Don Perata, who will be termed out of office later this year. Democrats plan to make their choice permanent in a caucus vote Aug. 21, and Steinberg would take over in December. Assembly Democrats plan to vote March 11 for a new speaker, although they voted unanimously that Nunez would stay until the end of the legislative session in August.

Nunez has claimed full responsibility for Proposition 93’s failure, which he says is due to a lack of a redistricting deal. Nunez and Perata have both said they are committed to redistricting reform. By definition, redistricting reform means drawing new boundary lines for Congress and CA Senate, Assembly and Board of Equalization districts. Currently, the CA State Legislature draws those lines. Many see this as a major conflict of interest. Last year, both sides of the aisle proposed competing redistricting measures in the Legislature but failed to agree on who would draw the boundaries. A 54 percent statewide rejection of Proposition 93 has pushed Nunez into political retirement for the next few years.