The California gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral primaries are among the most closely watched races today.
Voters in six states will go to the polls today for a series of key races.
The biggest item of the night will be the litany of races in California, the nation’s largest state. Others will be held in Iowa, Montana, New Mexico, New Jersey, and South Dakota.
Here are the most important races to watch.
California Governor
The race to replace outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom is one of the most-watched in the nation.
California’s gubernatorial elections are designed to be nonpartisan. With about six candidates polling with at least 5 percent support, only the top two vote-getters will be on the general gubernatorial election ballot in November, even if both are of the same party.
In the final weeks leading into the primary, the election underwent a total shake-up when front-runner Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) left the race—and Congress—following multiple allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Swalwell has denied the allegations.
Currently, the Democratic front-runners are former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and billionaire Tom Steyer. The two are polling close, although Becerra retains a slight advantage.
The main Republican candidates in the race are Steve Hilton, a British American TV show host and conservative commentator, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco.
Polling leaves it unclear whether Hilton or Steyer is favored for second place.
Los Angeles Mayoral Primary
Residents of Los Angeles will also vote in the nonpartisan mayoral primary.
Incumbent Mayor Karen Bass is facing off against 10 other contenders. She is expected to win the top spot in the primary.
Meanwhile, the top Democratic contender for the second-place spot—member of the Los Angeles City Council Nithya Raman—is seeking to hold off a challenge from former reality TV star Spencer Pratt, running as a Republican, and make it to the general election.
California’s 22nd Congressional District
In California’s 22nd Congressional District, Rep. David Valadao (R-Calif.) will face off in a nonpartisan primary with state Rep. Jasmeet Bains and Randy Villegas, both Democrats.
Valadao is expected to win a place in the general election, although his final opponent will be decided by the outcome on June 2.
Polling in the district is sparse. A single poll conducted at the beginning of May by Data for Progress, a left-leaning pollster, showed Valadao with 44 percent support, Villegas with 25 percent, and Bains with 21 percent.
California’s 48th Congressional District
In California’s 48th Congressional District, a flurry of candidates have put their names into the ring.
Republican Jim Desmond leads in polls in the nonpartisan election, with fellow Republican Kevin O’Neil coming in second in some polls. Marni von Wilpert and Ammar Campa-Najjar are the Democratic front-runners.
The seat was one of five redrawn to favor Democrats last year—but that advantage only holds if a Democrat wins the nonpartisan primary.
California’s 11th Congressional District
In California’s 11th Congressional District, a slate of Democrats is competing to replace outgoing Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).
Most polls show a lead for candidate Scott Wiener, a Democrat, while Pelosi has endorsed San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan. Chan has come in second in some polls, and Wiener enters the primary as the clear front-runner.
The two Republicans in the running—when they have made it into the polls at all—have pulled less than 5 percent support.
By Joseph Lord
