LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Lake Elsinore City Councilwoman Natasha Johnson has pulled ahead in the 63rd Assembly District special election, according to early returns.
Riverside County voters cast their ballots on Tuesday.
Although Johnson, a Republican, is short of the majority required to avoid a runoff, she leads over Democratic challenger Chris Shoults by 1,300 votes, unofficial results show.
The two candidates are vying for a seat that represents a wide swath of the county, left empty this spring when President Donald Trump appointed Assemblymember Bill Essayli to serve as U.S. Attorney.
In late May, tens of thousands of vote-by-mail ballots made their way to voters ahead of the June 24 Special Primary Election. If no one gets a majority of the vote by the time the results are certified on July 3, Johnson and Shoults will face off in an Aug. 26 runoff.
The new 63rd District assemblymember will represent Norco, Menifee, Lake Elsinore, Canyon Lake as well as parts of Eastvale, Riverside and Corona.
Early returns show that candidates Vincent Romo, a Republican, garnered 8.4 percent of the votes (4,872), while Zachary Consalvo, a libertarian, grabbed 1.3 percent of the votes (753).
Johnson, who announced her candidacy on April 3, pledged to bring “common sense” back to Sacramento. The Republican has already received an endorsement from Essayli and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who is running for governor in 2026.
“I’ve selected Natasha because I know that she is a fighter and she will carry on my message and the battles that we’ve had in Sacramento whether that’s on public safety or parental rights,” Essayli said.
“What an honor to continue to serve and keep the charge going for Assemblyman Essayli,” she said.
Meanwhile, Shoults has emphasized his focus on lowering the cost of living, education reform and economic diversity.
“No more self-serving political agendas and partisan games,” Shoults said in a statement. “It’s time for real leadership and representation that puts people first.”
Here are all of the candidates competing for the Riverside County district:
- Chris Shoults (Democrat), a business owner and educator
- Natasha Johnson (Republican), a Lake Elsinore councilmember and business owner
- Vincent Romo (Republican), a history professor and former athlete
- Zachary T. Consalvo (Libertarian), a businessman and public servant
