What we have learned from the California primary elections so far
By Easton Martin
California voters went to the polls on Tuesday, delivering initial results that signal shifting dynamics in the state’s top political contests. While thousands of mail-in ballots remain to be counted, early returns from the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral primaries reveal a highly competitive general election season ahead.
The open race to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom remains too close to call, but two clear frontrunners have established leads. Republican Steve Hilton, a former television host, holds the top spot with approximately 28 percent of the vote. Close behind him is Democrat Xavier Becerra, the former federal health secretary and California attorney general, who sits at roughly 26 percent.
Under California’s top-two primary system, the two candidates who secure the most votes advance to the November election, regardless of their political party. Billionaire environmental activist Tom Steyer occupies third place with nearly 20 percent of the vote. Several other prominent Democrats, including San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Congresswoman Katie Porter, conceded shortly after the initial returns made it clear they would not finish in the top two.
The strong showing by Hilton ensures that a Republican will compete in the general election for California governor, an outcome that was not guaranteed given the state’s deep blue electorate. Democratic leaders had previously expressed concern that a large field of candidates from their own party would fracture the vote, creating an unpredictable path forward.
Further south, the race for Los Angeles mayor has moved toward a definitive November runoff. Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass secured the top spot on Tuesday but fell short of the 50 percent threshold required to win the nonpartisan election outright. Bass currently holds about 35 percent of the vote following a challenging year marked by intense scrutiny over emergency responses to the devastating Palisades Fire in early 2025.
The battle for the second position in the Los Angeles runoff has become an unexpected showdown. Spencer Pratt, a former reality television personality who entered the race as an insurgent candidate after losing his home in the 2025 wildfire, holds a narrow lead for second place with roughly 30 percent of the vote. Pratt ran a combative campaign focused heavily on public safety and criticism of current city leadership.
Progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman is currently in third place with about 22 percent of the vote. While late-counted mail-in ballots have historically favored progressive candidates in Los Angeles, the current margins suggest Pratt remains positioned to challenge Bass.
From lindeltv.com