In a race that became shorthand for the fight over education policy and politics, incumbent state superintendent of public instruction Tom Torlakson won re-election -- beating back a challenge by Marshall Tuck.
Tuck conceded Wednesday morning, as Torlakson had 52.1 percent of the vote statewide.
Rarely has the race for state superintendent of public instruction been the most fascinating race to watch in California. But never has so much money been spent on the race -- spending seen largely as a proxy war between self-styled reform advocates and teachers unions.
Torlakson and Tuck were deadlocked in public polls going in to Tuesday, though most voters surveyed said they were undecided. The job is a nonpartisan position, although both men are registered Democrats.
Torlakson, 65, was first elected superintendent in 2010 and before that served for 14 years in the Legislature and East Bay politics. Tuck, 41, was most recently a Los Angeles charter school leader and before that an investment banker.