Key facts
- California primary election results may take days or weeks to be released.
- California's primary relies on mail voting, with votes valid if postmarked by election day and received up to a week later.
- Hydee Feldstein Soto, incumbent Los Angeles city attorney, may be defeated in the primary.
- An incumbent Los Angeles city attorney has not been ousted in a primary in nearly a century.
- Democrat Xavier Becerra has advanced to the general election for California governor.
- It remains unclear who Xavier Becerra's runoff challenger will be as ballots are still being counted.
- Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) will head to a runoff election after admitting to infidelity.
- Crypto PACs spent approximately $3 million on ads in California and New Jersey.
- Crypto PACs spent over $411,000 to support Senator Mike Rounds in South Dakota.
- The White House will not resurrect a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund.
- A Trump-backed candidate has lost a primary race.
- Voters are casting ballots for eight of the 15 L.A. City Council seats.
California's primary election results are anticipated to be a drawn-out affair, with final tallies potentially taking days or even weeks to be released. This delay is attributed to the state's significant reliance on mail-in voting, where ballots postmarked by election day are valid for up to a week after. The thorough review process, while criticized by some, is defended as a measure to ensure maximum voter turnout and accessibility.
In a significant development for Los Angeles, incumbent City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto appears to have been defeated in the primary. This outcome, if confirmed, would represent the first time an incumbent city attorney has been ousted in a primary election in nearly a century, with factors such as unclear messaging and a controversial term cited as contributing reasons. The race for the Los Angeles City Council District 11 seat features incumbent Park and challenger Malik, with voters deciding on eight of the 15 council seats, two of which are open due to term limits.
On the gubernatorial front, Democrat Xavier Becerra has secured a spot in the general election for California governor, as projected by CBS News. However, his challenger is yet to be determined, with ballot counting still underway. The primary also saw Democratic voters strategically casting ballots in the governor's race to ensure their party's representation in the general election following a turbulent primary season. Separately, Representative Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.) is headed to a runoff election after admitting to infidelity, following a report of him being seen kissing a congressional aide.
Beyond California's state-level races, broader political spending and policy decisions are also in focus. Crypto PACs have reportedly spent approximately $3 million on advertisements in California and New Jersey. Additionally, these PACs contributed over $411,000 to support Senator Mike Rounds in South Dakota, coinciding with primary elections across six states. In Washington, the White House has confirmed that a proposed $1.8 billion anti-weaponization fund will not be resurrected, according to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. Political analyst Steve Kornacki is examining the primary results, including the loss of a Trump-backed candidate in one of the races.