California voters on Tuesday were weighing a slate of statewide races that will help shape the November ballot, including contests for attorney general, schools chief, lieutenant governor, treasurer and insurance commissioner.
Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates with the most votes in each race advance to the general election, regardless of party. While the race for governor has drawn much of the attention, several other offices carry major responsibilities for schools, elections, taxes, public finance and the state’s troubled insurance market.
Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, is moving on to the general election, where he will face Republican Michael Gates. Gates is a former trial attorney who served as Huntington Beach city attorney and as a deputy U.S. attorney. Bonta and his predecessor, Xavier Becerra, used the attorney general’s office to pursue numerous legal challenges against the Trump administration.
In the race for state superintendent of public instruction, early returns showed Sonja Shaw, the former Chino Valley Unified School Board president, leading the field. With 46% of votes counted as of 9:30 p.m., Shaw had 24.7% of the vote. Democrat Richard Barrera, president of the San Diego Unified School District, followed with 19.7%.
The superintendent’s race drew several longtime Democratic lawmakers, including Anthony Rendon, Josh Newman and Al Muratsuchi. But two major education groups — the California Teachers Association and the California Charter Schools Association — endorsed Barrera instead. Shaw received backing from both Republican candidates for governor.
For lieutenant governor, state Treasurer Fiona Ma led early returns with 20.6% of the vote, according to results reported with 46% counted as of 9:30 p.m. Romero followed with 19.6%, and Josh Fryday, a member of Gov. Gavin Newsom’s cabinet, had 14.3%.
The lieutenant governor’s job is limited compared with the governor’s office but still carries statewide visibility. The officeholder steps in when the governor is absent, serves on various boards and commissions, and may cast a tie-breaking vote in the state Senate.
State Controller Malia M. Cohen, a Democrat, will advance to the November election as she seeks another term as California’s chief fiscal officer. Her opponent will be Republican Herb W. Morgan, who campaigned on rooting out government fraud. Meghann Adams, a San Francisco school bus driver running on a progressive Peace and Freedom Party platform, also sought the office.
Secretary of State Shirley Weber, a Democrat, is also headed to the general election. She will face Republican Donald P. Wagner, an Orange County supervisor. Wagner has called for voter identification requirements and criticized the pace of California’s ballot-counting process. Weber, appointed by Newsom in 2021 after serving in the Assembly, won a full term in 2022 and has overseen the expansion of universal vote-by-mail elections statewide.
In the race for state treasurer, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis held a commanding early lead. With 47% of votes counted as of 9:30 p.m., Kounalakis had 36.3% of the vote. Republican Jennifer Hawks, a retired businesswoman, followed with 26.6%.
The treasurer serves as California’s banker, managing and investing state funds while overseeing borrowing and debt. Kounalakis, who previously ran for governor before ending that campaign in late 2025, and Democratic state Sen. Anna Caballero were among the best-funded candidates in the race, drawing support from major donors including unions, tribes and businesses.
The contest for insurance commissioner comes at a volatile moment for California’s insurance market, as wildfire risk and insurer pullbacks have left many homeowners facing rising costs and fewer options. Early results showed former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim leading with 24.1% of the vote, with 47% counted as of 9:30 p.m. State Sen. Ben Allen followed with 20.3%, while Republican-endorsed insurance agent Stacy A. Korsgaden had 17.5%.
Other candidates for insurance commissioner included former state lawmaker Steven Bradford and Democrat Patrick Wolff, a financial analyst whose campaign has largely been self-funded.
Voters also cast ballots for seats on the state Board of Equalization, the only elected tax board of its kind in the country. The five-member board advises county assessors, sets taxable values for property owned by utilities and railroads, and handles some taxpayer appeals.
In District 1, which includes much of inland California, Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove led with 36.1% of the vote, while Democrat Nelson Esparza was second with 30.5%, based on 45% of votes counted as of 9:30 p.m.
In District 2, which covers coastal California north of Los Angeles, Democratic incumbent Sally J. Lieber led with 53.7% of the vote. Democrat John Pimentel was second with 14.5%, with 45% counted.
In District 3, representing the Los Angeles area, Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gipson led with 27% of the vote. Democrat Yvonne Yiu followed with 13.9%, with 53% counted.
In District 4, which includes the San Diego area, Republican Denis Bilodeau led with 47% of the vote, while Democratic state Sen. Tom Umberg was second with 20.8%, according to results with 49% counted as of 9:30 p.m.
Original source: CalMatters
