Placer County Superior Court Judge Leon Dixson is off to a strong start in his first election test, grabbing an early 61% to 39% edge over challenger Dave Bass in the June 2 primary. The rarely high-profile local judgeship has turned into a sharply contested and expensive proxy fight for the region's broader political tensions, pulling in big endorsements and bigger checks for what is usually a sleepy down-ballot race.
Early Numbers and First Reactions
As reported by CapRadio, Dixson held about 61% of Placer County's early returns to Bass's 39% as precincts reported Tuesday evening. Dixson told The Sacramento Bee he was "thrilled to see these results in the early numbers" and thanked community supporters while county officials continued counting ballots.
Who the Candidates Are
Leon Dixson was appointed to the Placer bench by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024 and previously worked at Legal Services of Northern California, according to CapRadio. Dave Bass is the mayor of Rocklin and a Sacramento County deputy district attorney who built his campaign around public-safety credentials and courtroom experience.
Endorsements and Big Money in a Low-Profile Race
The Sacramento Bee reports Bass was backed by state Sen. Roger Niello, Assemblymember Joe Patterson, Crime Victims United and several law-enforcement groups. Dixson, meanwhile, drew support from about 80 fellow judges.
State records cited by the Bee show Dixson raised about $160,000 and spent roughly $134,000 through mid-May, while Bass raised about $100,000 and spent about $80,000. That adds up to roughly $240,000 in combined spending, a level of cash that exceeded another contested judgeship race in the region.
What Happens as the Count Continues
Vote-by-mail and provisional ballots will continue to be processed in the weeks after Election Day, and the official canvass will run through the county and state certification periods, according to the California Secretary of State. That means the Dixson-Bass tally could still shift as more ballots are counted, and results will not be certified until counties complete their canvass.
