The latest on the primaries in California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota.
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LA Mayoral Primary: Caruso and Bass Advance to November Election
In the Los Angeles mayoral race, real estate billionaire Rick Caruso and U.S. Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.) will face off in the Nov. 8 general election, after far surpassing the other candidates in the primaries.
As of early morning on June 8, Caruso had 42 percent of the vote, while Bass was slightly behind at 37 percent. Caruso received 133,059 votes, with Bass receiving 116,688.
Los Angeles City Councilman Kevin de Leon trailed far behind the two frontrunners, receiving 23,665 votes. Fourth behind is activist Gina Viola, gaining just 16,520 votes.
Caruso held an early celebration during his watch party with supporters.
“We are doing so well tonight … people have gone to the voting booth and sent a message,” Caruso said during his watch party at the Grove. “We are not hopeless in the face of our problems.”
Although early polls showed Bass in a slight lead, Caruso has received support from several noteworthy figures, including endorsements from Tesla CEO Elon Musk, rapper Snoop Dogg, and singer Katy Perry.
Bass also received support from celebrities in Hollywood, including singer Ariana Grande, actress Jennifer Garner, and directors J.J Abrams and Steven Spielberg.
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Mark Ronchetti Wins GOP Primary for New Mexico Governor
Mark Ronchetti has won the Republican primary for governor to challenge incumbent Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
The former television meteorologist on Tuesday defeated four other candidates including state Rep. Rebecca Dow.
Ronchetti’s campaign emphasized concerns about crime, illegal immigration, high rates of unemployment, and underperforming schools.
In a primary-night victory speech, the Republican nominee took swipes at political elites and big government and blasted the governor’s leadership on public education and criminal justice issues.
Separately, the Democratic nomination for attorney general went to Raúl Torrez, a second-term district attorney for Albuquerque and its outskirts.
Torrez defeated state auditor Brian Colón to vie in an open race against Republican attorney and U.S. Marine veteran Jeremy Michael Gay of Gallup.
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Mississippi Congressman With Ethics Trouble to Face Runoff
Republican U.S. Rep. Steven Palazzo of Mississippi is headed to a June 28 runoff.
The congressman first elected in 2010 failed to win the GOP nomination outright on Tuesday, earning less than 50 percent of the vote.
His opponent will either be Jackson County Sheriff Mike Ezell, who is also campaigning on border security, or Clay Wagner, a retired banker who says he wants to limit taxation and regulation.
A 2021 report by the Office of Congressional Ethics found “substantial reason to believe” Palazzo, a military veteran who serves on the Appropriations and Homeland Security committees, abused his office by misspending campaign funds, doing favors for his brother, and enlisting staff for political and personal errands. His then-spokesperson, Colleen Kennedy, said the probe was based on politically motivated “false allegations.”
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San Francisco Voters Oust Progressive District Attorney in Recall Election
Voters have ousted Chesa Boudin (D) as San Francisco’s district attorney.
Unlike California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent recall election, Boudin didn’t face any opponents. On June 7, San Francisco voters were simply asked to answer yes or no to the question, “Shall Chesa Boudin be recalled (removed) from the Office of District Attorney?”
With more than 61.3 percent of the voters selecting “yes,” San Francisco Mayor London Breed must now appoint an interim district attorney until Nov. 8, when a permanent replacement will be elected. The no votes totaled 40,921 (38.7 percent).
Boudin, a former public defender backed by leftwing billionaire George Soros, came under fire for failed progressive criminal-justice reform policies that have led to a sharp increase in drug overdose deaths, homelessness, and thefts, including smash-and-grab robberies, car burglaries, shoplifting, and other property crimes.
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Trump-Backed Candidate Leads Challenger in Montana GOP Primary
Five percentage points separate former U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and his closest Republican rival, former Montana Sen. Al Olszewski, in a hotly contested race for the Republican congressional nomination in Montana’s District 1 primary оn June 7.
With 28 percent of the votes reported at 11:54 p.m. ЕТ, Zinke led with about 43 percent of the vote. Olszewski trailed with 38 percent. These results reflect about 60 percent of counted ballots after the polls closed at 8 p.m.
On the Democratic side, Missoula attorney Monica Tranel is the projected winner with 66.4 percent of the vote, against Cora Neumann, a public health and lands advocate, with 26.7 percent.
In Montana’s geographically more extensive District 2, incumbent U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) is the projected winner by an overwhelming margin with 72.4 percent over his closest rival, Billings pharmacist Kyle Austin, with 13.5 percent.
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Pro-Trump Candidate Leads California Election to Fill Seat Vacated by Devin Nunes
Connie Conway leads the congressional seat previously held by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) who resigned in January to lead former President Donald Trump’s social media platform, TRUTH Social.
Conway, a Trump-endorsed Republican and lifelong resident of California’s Central Valley, earned 55.5 percent of the vote, leading Democratic opponent Lourin Hubbard who received 44.5 percent.
The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of the congressional term ending Jan. 3, 2023.
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Padilla Wins California U.S. Senate Primary, Will Face Meuser on Nov. 8
Appointed U.S. Sen Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) has secured his spot on the Nov. 8 ballot after taking a solid lead over opponents in the June 7 state primary election.
Padilla also won the special vacancy election to serve out the remainder of the current Senate term, ending Jan. 3, 2023. He was appointed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to the U.S. Senate when then-Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) left to join the Biden administration in 2021.
In the election for the next six-year Senate term, Padilla earned 56.1 percent of the vote. Meuser came in second, securing himself a spot on the ballot with 12 percent. In California’s jungle primary system, only the top two vote-getters—regardless of party affiliation—advance to the Nov. 8 midterm election.
The slate of candidates for the full six-year term consisted of six Democrats, 10 Republicans, four independents, and one candidate each for the Green Party and the Peace & Freedom Party.
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Newsom to Face Republican Dahle in California’s Gubernatorial Race
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) won the June 7 state primary election securing himself a spot on the Nov. 8 ballot, as expected.
Newsom won 52.5 percent of the vote in the nonpartisan primary followed by State Sen. Brian Dahle (R) with approximately 16.5 percent.
In California’s jungle primary system only the top-two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the general election.
Gov. Newsom, a progressive Democrat, is eligible to serve for four more years. He was elected to his first term in 2018, when his predecessor Gov. Jerry Brown (D) reached the term limit after eight years in office.
Newsom served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 1997 to 2004, as the mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2010, and as lieutenant governor from 2011 to 2019.
Newsom survived a recall election on Sept. 14, which was not a top-two contest. His closest rival was conservative radio host Larry Elder who chose not to run in the primary.
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New Jersey Incumbents Roll, But Two Democrats Face November Tests
As expected, all 11 of New Jersey’s 12 congressional incumbents seeking reelection—nine Democrats and two Republicans—secured their party’s nods during the state’s June 7 primary to advance to November’s ballots.
But four sitting Democrats now await what are anticipated to be stiff challenges from Republican opponents come this fall with the GOP aiming to claw away at least two of the 10 congressional seats now held by Democrats.
Well-known and robustly financed Republican candidates in two New Jersey races could be among the nation’s most compelling congressional contests of the 2022 midterms.
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Grassley, Franken, Nunn Win Iowa Primary Races
Seven-term Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) easily won in his race against state Sen. Jim Carlin (R) while Republican state Senator and Air Force veteran Zach Nunn defeated two challengers in the newly redrawn 3rd Congressional District in Iowa’s June 7 primary.
With 30 percent of the precincts reporting at 9:46 p.m. ET, Grassley received more than 74 percent of the vote and was projected as the winner by Decision Desk HQ.
Grassley will face retired Navy Adm. Michael Franken, who captured the Democratic primary with 58 percent of the vote compared to 36 percent for 33-year-old former Rep. Abby Finkenauer (D).
Finkenauer is considered one of the most widely known Democrats in Iowa. She defeated a Republican Congressman in 2018 before losing in 2020.
The 64-year-old Franken is a progressive on many issues, but he believes he can ease partisan tensions if he is elected.
The 88-year-old Grassley is endorsed by former President Donald Trump and heavily favored to secure his eighth term as a U.S. senator in Iowa. He is the oldest Republican serving in the Senate. Grassley was elected to the House of Representatives in 1975 and won his Senate seat in 1980.
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Noem Wins Republican South Dakota Gubernatorial Primary
Gov. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) beat out former South Dakota Speaker of the House Steve Haugaard in the Republican gubernatorial primary, chalking up another win for former President Trump who gave his “complete and total endorsement for Noem in February.
Noem will face state Rep. Jamie Smith (D) in November’s general election.
Recent polling data was on target as it predicted that incumbents would “have no problem” getting reelected on June 7. Noem has been dominating the polls data since her first of four terms in Congress and has never lost an election. She was elected governor in 2018.
Noem did little campaigning and stood on her record of putting “South Dakota first” and the endorsement of former President Donald Trump. She garnered approximately $15 million in campaign donations with almost $9 million cash on hand. Haugaard reported raising more than $105,000 with $24,000 in cash on hand.
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Thune Beats Conservative Challengers in South Dakota Senate Race
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) won the Republican primary on his way to an all-but-assured fourth term in the U.S. Senate on June 7, beating out two ultra-conservative candidates.
With 48 percent of the votes reported at 10:42 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thune received more than 73 percent of the vote, according to Decision Desk HQ.
Thune, U.S. Senate Minority Whip, edged out two conservative Republican candidates, Bruce Whalen and Mark Mowry.
“I want to thank Republicans in South Dakota for supporting my Senate candidacy, and I look forward to continue putting South Dakota’s interests on the national agenda and stopping Biden’s radical, left-wing crusade,” Thune said in a prepared victory statement.
Jamie Joseph, Brad Jones, Jannis Falkenstern, Allan Stein, John Haughey, Jeff Louderback, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
