Millions of Californians cast ballots in Tuesday’s primary election, closing a turbulent campaign season marked by heavy spending, shifting momentum in the governor’s race and several contests with major implications for Southern California and the Inland Empire.
Early returns showed Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra in position to advance to the November general election for governor, though ballots remained to be counted. Liberal billionaire Tom Steyer was running third and had not conceded, saying the race should wait until every ballot is tallied.
Several Democrats ended their campaigns, including former Rep. Katie Porter, who had once been viewed as a leading contender. Porter acknowledged the difficulty of falling short but urged supporters to remain engaged in the political process.
In other statewide races, early results showed Democrat Fiona Ma and Republican Gloria Romero leading in the lieutenant governor’s race. Democrats Jane Kim and Ben Allen were ahead in the contest for insurance commissioner.
One Inland Empire candidate was also drawing statewide attention: Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified school board, was leading in the race for superintendent of public instruction along with Richard Barrera, a San Diego Unified school board member.
In the treasurer’s race, Democrat Eleni Kounalakis advanced and could face Republican Jennifer Hawks in November. Democratic incumbents Rob Bonta, Shirley Weber and Malia Cohen also moved forward in their reelection bids for attorney general, secretary of state and controller. Their Republican challengers are Michael Gates, Don Wagner and Herb Morgan, respectively.
California’s congressional races were also reshaped by Proposition 50, which redrew districts in a way that favored Democrats and reduced the number of competitive races between the two major parties. Still, several contests are expected to remain closely watched through November.
Only two congressional races are considered strongly competitive between Democrats and Republicans. In the Central Valley, Republican Rep. David Valadao advanced, while Democrats Jasmeet Bains, a state assemblymember, and Randy Villegas, a progressive newcomer, were still competing for the second November slot. In San Diego County, Republican Supervisor Jim Desmond and Democratic San Diego City Councilmember Marni von Wilpert advanced to the general election.
For Inland Empire voters, one of the most significant congressional developments came in the 40th District, where Republican Rep. Ken Calvert, the longest-serving GOP member of California’s congressional delegation, is expected to face fellow Republican Rep. Young Kim after the district was altered under the new maps.
Other closely watched congressional races include the Sacramento-area 7th District, where longtime Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui may face a serious intraparty challenge from Sacramento City Councilmember Mai Vang. In San Francisco’s 11th District, the race to succeed former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi could come down to state Sen. Scott Wiener and San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, who received Pelosi’s endorsement.
In the Sacramento suburbs, Rep. Kevin Kiley, who left the Republican Party in March and is running as an independent in a different district, led early returns in the 6th District. Republican Michael Stansfield and Democrat Richard Pan, a former state senator, followed. In California’s rural north, former Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher and former Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire advanced in the 1st District.
At the state Capitol, Democrats appeared likely to maintain control of the Legislature, where the entire Assembly and half of the Senate are on the ballot this year. Many races had already produced apparent top-two matchups within hours of polls closing, though several districts remained unsettled.
In the 4th Senate District, which includes the politically mixed Sierra foothills, incumbent Marie Alvarado-Gil, a former Democrat now running as a Republican, trailed Republican farmer Alexandra Duarte and Democratic Tuolumne County Supervisor Jaron Brandon in early returns.
Assembly Republican Leader Heath Flora, who had lost support from some key GOP groups in his district, held a narrow lead over Democrat Matthew Adams, a teacher. Republican trucker Jim Shoemaker was close behind.
In San Diego County’s 40th Senate District, Republican Kristie Bruce-Lane held an edge over fellow Republican Ed Musgrove for the chance to face Democrat Mara Elliott in November. The race has reflected a divide within the state GOP, with establishment Republicans backing Musgrove and conservative firebrand Carl DeMaio supporting Bruce-Lane.
Beyond the election results, lawmakers in Sacramento advanced a series of bills aimed at strengthening California’s DUI laws and cracking down on reckless driving. Eight of 17 measures introduced this year remain alive in the Legislature, with some moving further than similar proposals have in the past. The legislation followed an investigative series examining weaknesses in the state’s response to repeat DUI offenders and dangerous drivers.
Original source: CalMatters
