Eight states are holding primaries Tuesday, the biggest single day of voting until November, but most eyes are on California, where the combination of crowded Democratic fields and California's top-two "jungle primary" system could shut Democrats out of three or more House races they hope to win to flip the House in November. California Republicans, meanwhile, face the risk of being shut out of the race for governor and U.S. senator.
Democrats are targeting 10 House seats in California, including seven in districts Hillary Clinton won in 2016, and they're most worried about fatally splitting the vote in three Orange County districts — the 39th, 48th, and 49th — with either a weak or retiring GOP incumbent. If two Republicans advance in a handful of those districts, it will be harder for Democrats to take control of the House. State and national Democrats have spent millions to prevent being shut out. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is expected to get the most votes and could face any number of candidates in the No. 2 slot, while Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will likely face either former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) or Republican businessman John Cox to replace outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown (D).
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 biting editorial cartoons about 'Alligator Alcatraz'Cartoons Artists take on dangerous green things, historical precedent, and more
-
A journey into the deep past on beautiful ArranThe Week Recommends New Unesco Global Geopark played a 'key role' in the birth of modern geological science
-
China's London super-embassyThe Explainer The People's Republic wants to build a massive new embassy in central London, and a lot of people aren't happy about it
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US borderSpeed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Thai court suspends prime minister over leaked callSpeed Read Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended, pending an ethics investigation
-
Senate passes GOP megabill after Alaska side dealThe pivotal yes vote came from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, whose support was secured following negotiated side deals for her home state Alaska
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policiesSpeed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final daySpeed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
The last words and final moments of 40 presidentsThe Explainer Some are eloquent quotes worthy of the holders of the highest office in the nation, and others... aren't
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts moreSpeed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custodySpeed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami
