Incumbents Cruise in Quiet Election Night
Yesterday’s primary election saw no real surprises in the nation or California as incumbent candidates and other perceived front runners cruised out of the primary ready for one-on-one battles in the fall. You can get up-to-the-minute results for L.A. County at the county’s website.
The race to watch was the election for County District Attorney. Progressive George Gascon was elected four years ago and has been challenged on those reforms every step of the way. He was one of a dozen candidates on the ballot this time, and emerged with a scant plurality of the votes. He will face former federal prosecutor, U.S. Assistant Attorney General, and LA Ethics Commission President Nathan Hochman in November.
Santa Monica’s city council election won’t be until November and both the local County Supervisor and State Senate seats won’t be up for re-election until 2026. The race for Assembly was a snoozer as Democratic Asm. Rick Chavez Zbur has nearly ¾ of the vote with two Republicans splitting the remaining vote.
State Measure 1, which was introduced by Governor Newsom and endorsed by the Santa Monica City Council, has a narrow lead at the moment but is still listed as “too close to call” by most election watchers. The measure, promoted as “treatment not tents,” would redirect state funds to create more temporary beds for people experiencing homelessness.
In the U.S. Senate Race, Representative Adam Schiff and former Dodger Steve Garvey will head to the November election. Garvey edged Orange County Congress Member Katie Porter for the second spot on the November ballot.
Nationally, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump won every primary except for a small win for Nikki Haley in the Republican primary in Vermont. Haley dropped out of the race later in the evening, clearing the way for a rematch of the 2020 election.
And last, there’s some good news for Santa Monica’s loud neighbor. Measure HLA, endorsed by our sister website Streetsblog LA, is also cruising to victory with well over 60% of the vote. HLA requires the city to actually build out its mobility plan while repaving or improving streets meaning more bus lanes, bike lanes and safer pedestrian crossings should finally be on the way.
