It’s primary election day in seven states: California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota.
Party nominating battles for Congress, state and local office will be decided Tuesday. Many of them are not expected to be close contests but a few could be, including the race for the mayor of Los Angeles, where a runoff is likely if no candidate gets at least 50%.
And unlike previous primaries in Georgia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, former President Donald Trump’s shadow doesn’t loom particularly large. One of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach him last year – David Valadao of California – doesn’t even have a challenge from a Trump-endorsed opponent.
Here are key developments:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on ballot months after recall vote
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is back on the ballot just nine months after facing a recall vote that could have removed him from office.
Newsom survived the recall vote by a comfortable margin, with more than two-thirds of Californians voting “no” on the recall measure.
Now, Newsom faces a crowded field of 25 challengers, including Republican state Sen. Brian Dahle and former Los Angeles poet laureate Luis Javier Rodriguez, according to the Los Angeles Times.
– Ella Lee
NJ primary pits Trump Republicans against moderate favorites
A quick look at the ballot slogans for Tuesday’s primary provides a glimpse into the strategy of New Jersey’s Republican Party in the post-Trump era — everything is about who can put “America First” in the most convincing way.
There’s an “America First Veteran” and the “America First Agenda.” Two candidates are running as “America First Republicans,” not to be confused with “America First Conservative Republicans.” Other candidates are running under the slogans “America First: True Conservative Outsider” and “New Jersey First.”
But if any of the self-styled Trump Republicans have a chance of riding the anticipated midterm red wave into the House of Representatives, they must first pull off upsets in Tuesday’s primary against leading candidates who represent New Jersey’s traditionally moderate brand of conservatives.
– Dustin Racioppi, Bergen Record
What’s driving voters in Tuesday’s primary?
Among the states with primaries on Tuesday, California has more than 11 million immigrants – more than any state in the U.S. At least 1-in-4 New Jersey residents is an immigrant, and immigrants make up 9% of the New Mexico population, according to the American Immigration Council.
But immigration and troubles at the border are being overshadowed by other anxieties on the minds of voters, including historic inflation, brutal acts of gun violence, expected overhauls to reproductive rights and the ongoing pandemic.
“The economy, inflation, reproductive rights and guns are driving the conversation,” said Varun Nikore, executive director of the AAPI Victory Alliance. “I’m not seeing much on immigration. Too many other issues are coming to the forefront.”
– Candy Woodall, Phillip M. Bailey
L.A. race for mayor among the most competitive primaries
Los Angeles voters will decide on a replacement for Democratic Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is departing the seat after meeting Los Angeles’ two four-year-term limit for mayors.
Twelve different candidates are on the ballot, but polling shows voters are mainly deciding between retiring Democratic U.S. Rep. Karen Bass and billionaire developer Rick Caruso. A poll from the Los Angeles Times shows Bass has 38% support among likely voters while Caruso, a former Republican who just registered as Democrat this year, has 32% support.
In Los Angeles, if a mayoral candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, they win the seat immediately, but the polling shows that to be unlikely. If tonight no candidate earns more than 50%, the two top candidates head to a runoff election in November.
– Kenneth Tran
Ryan Zinke is eyeing a comeback in a new House seat in Montana
Ryan Zinke, a former Montana congressman who later served in Trump’s cabinet as Interior secretary, is looking to return to the House.
Zinke is running for a new seat after the 2020 Census determined population growth merited a second congressional district in Montana.
An investigation determined he lied to an ethics official about his involvement in a development project during his tenure as Interior Secretary. His state of residency has also been questioned, after a report from Politico found that his wife declared residency in Santa Barbara, California.
More:Former Trump Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke misused Cabinet position, investigation finds
Zinke’s most significant challenger is Al Olszewski, a former Montana state senator and orthopedic surgeon. Olszewski has criticized Zinke for not being conservative enough, citing Zinke’s votes during his tenure as a member of the House, including being what he described as too pro-choice, voting with NARAL 70% of the time while in office
– Kenneth Tran
When do the polls close?
The first polls close Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET in New Jersey, Mississippi and South Dakota.
An hour later, at 9 p.m. ET, polls close in Iowa and New Mexico.
Montana closes its polls at 10 p.m. ET.
And California’s polls close last, at 11 p.m. ET.
– Ella Lee
Leave a Reply