California is a Democratic fortress, but Tuesday’s primary election may have revealed some cracks
Gov. Gavin Newsom and other top-tier Democrats emerged safely from contested statewide races in which they will be strongly favored this fall, and the Legislature appears on track to stay firmly in Democratic control.
In LA, Caruso positioned himself as an outsider challenging the city’s progressive establishment amid an unabated homeless crisis, soaring rents and home prices, and worries over crime. He was running first in preliminary returns and will face Democratic Rep. Karen Bass, a stalwart in the party’s progressive wing, in a November runoff that will bring a stark contrast to voters.
In San Francisco, progressive District Attorney Chesa Boudin was elected in 2019 after promising a new approach to law enforcement that stressed alternatives to incarceration and ending the war on drugs that disproportionately harmed people of color. He wasy a wide margin Tuesday amid longstanding complaints over open drug use, robberies and vandalism.
In a closely divided coastal district in Orange County, Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, a star of the party’s progressive wing, will face Republican Scott Baugh, a former state legislative leader. Regardless of the outcome on the Democratic side, Chen’s challenge will be growing his support beyond the 37% of the vote he had in preliminary primary returns. Recent history shows it will not be easy in a state where Democrats outnumber registered Republicans by nearly 2-to-1.Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Sen.