For a state that鈥檚 home to Hollywood, there isn鈥檛 much star power in California鈥檚 gubernatorial race. It鈥檚 a somewhat different story in Los Angeles, where a reality television personality is running for mayor as the city prepares to host the Olympics.
More primaries are being held on Tuesday as well. Democrats are banking on a rare chance to regain ground in Iowa, a rural state that has repeatedly eluded them in recent years. Republicans, meanwhile, are grappling with a New Jersey congressman whose unexplained absence could put their already slim majority at risk.
鈥� California: Voters are weighing in on who should lead the nation鈥檚 most populous state, where there is no clear leader among vying to advance in the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Plus, are on the ballot, along with the .
鈥� New Mexico: Contests in the state include primaries for congressional seats, a U.S. Senate seat and a , but the governor鈥檚 race is the main attraction. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is running for the Democratic nomination, which could put her on a .
鈥� New Jersey: One of this year鈥檚 will take place in the represented by Rep. , who has drawn public scrutiny and concern after missing more than 100 House votes due to an undisclosed medical issue. Voters are deciding which Democrat will run against him in November.
鈥� Read more about races in , and .
Here’s the latest:
Trump says absent congressman is 鈥榳orking tirelessly鈥�
Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. is running unopposed in the primary for New Jersey鈥檚 7th congressional district on Tuesday. But he鈥檚 facing growing scrutiny for an unexplained medical absence that has stretched for more than three months, causing him to miss more than 100 votes in Congress.
Trump weighed in on social media late Monday, saying Kean was 鈥渨orking tirelessly鈥� to support the MAGA agenda.
Though Kean isn鈥檛 facing any GOP competition today, he鈥檚 seeking reelection this fall in one of the few genuinely competitive congressional districts left on the map. Several Democrats vying to take him on in the general election have made his absence 鈥� and the lack of clarity surrounding it 鈥� a central part of their message.
Democrats hope to dislodge GOP incumbent by redrawing his California district
Every two years, the attention of the nation鈥檚 political class is riveted on a Democratic-leaning congressional district in California鈥檚 Central Valley. Republican Rep. David Valadao has been able to fend off repeated Democratic challengers, except in 2018, when he barely lost. But he ran again two years later and reclaimed the seat.
Democrats redrew the district to make it even tougher for Valadao. They recruited a moderate who represents the area in the state capital, Assemblywoman Jasmeet Bains, to run against him. But she鈥檚 had to battle a more liberal rival, political science professor and school board member Randy Villegas. The primary will determine Valadao鈥檚 next opponent.
California uses a top-2 primary system
That means all candidates are on the same ballot, regardless of their party affiliation. California has used that system for more than a decade.
It鈥檚 occasionally resulted in two candidates from the same party competing against each other in a general election. That happened most notably in U.S. Senate races in 2016 and 2018, when two Democrats faced off.
In the governor鈥檚 race, though, one Republican and one Democrat have always advanced to November. this year given their large field of candidates. But those worries have diminished in the race鈥檚 closing weeks.
Republicans will fight hard to keep the Iowa US Senate seat
Holding on to Iowa is a big part of the GOP鈥檚 plan to keep its U.S. Senate majority.
A super PAC affiliated with Senate Republicans has pledged $29 million to help ensure the seat stays in GOP hands.
Republican candidates for governor say California needs a change
A Democrat has held the governor鈥檚 office since 2011, when Jerry Brown took over from Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Democrats have also had a firm grip on the state Legislature.
Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco say that means Democrats are to blame for the state鈥檚 expensive gas and housing, its homelessness crisis and a slew of other problems. Both have pledged to reduce regulations and taxes.
Hilton has President Donald Trump鈥檚 backing. That could help him in the primary but hurt him in the general election in the heavily Democratic state.
Republicans will fight hard to keep the Iowa US Senate seat
Holding on to Iowa is a big part of the GOP鈥檚 plan to keep its U.S. Senate majority.
A super PAC affiliated with Senate Republicans has pledged $29 million to help ensure the seat stays in GOP hands.
California uses a top-2 primary system
That means all candidates are on the same ballot, regardless of their party affiliation. California has used that system for more than a decade.
It has occasionally resulted in two candidates from the same party competing against each other in a general election. That happened most notably in U.S. Senate races in 2016 and 2018, when two Democrats faced off.
In the governor鈥檚 race, though, one Republican and one Democrat have always advanced to November. this year, given their large field of candidates. But those worries have diminished in the race鈥檚 closing weeks.
5 Republicans want to be Iowa governor
The candidates are U.S. Rep. , state Rep. Eddie Andrews, businessman and former conservative political director Zach Lahn, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former director of the state Department of Administrative Services Adam Steen.
If no candidate earns at least 35% of Republican primary voters, the nominee would be selected at a contested state party convention.
Trump endorsed Feenstra on Friday, saying on social media that 鈥淩andy is MAGA all the way!鈥�
2 veteran California US House members draw generational challenges
The generational fighting that has been ripping through the Democratic Party continues in California鈥檚 primaries.
In the Los Angeles-area鈥檚 32nd District, 42-year-old lawyer Jake Levine is challenging Brad Sherman, 71, a 15-term member of the House of Representatives.
And in the 7th District near Sacramento, 40-year-old city councilwoman Mai Vang is challenging Doris Matsui, 81, who has held the seat since her husband, a congressman himself for decades, died in 2005.
California Democrat鈥檚 spending dwarfed his rivals
Tom Steyer, the former hedge fund manager turned climate activist, spent nearly $200 million of his money on advertising alone.
The billionaire鈥檚 ad campaign was the most expensive in the country by far this election cycle. The data comes from advertising tracker AdImpact.
Steyer鈥檚 rivals in the governor鈥檚 race and his critics have accused him of trying to buy the election.
But he鈥檚 defended his spending, saying he is fighting against powerful corporate interests that are driving up the price of living in the state. Pacific Gas & Electric, a major California utility, is among the corporations and business interests funding anti-Steyer ads.
鈥淚鈥檓 only working for the people of California,鈥� Steyer said last week.
3 Republicans seek party nomination for New Mexico governor
They are former mayor of fast-growing Rio Rancho , cannabis business owner and public relations professional Doug Turner.
While Hull and Turner have not aligned their campaigns with the MAGA movement, Rodriguez was recently served a cease-and-desist letter from a law firm representing Trump for 鈥渄eceptive use鈥� of the president鈥檚 image in campaign materials. That contest’s winner faces an uphill battle to win in a state where a Republican has not been elected to statewide office in 10 years.
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