Six States Hold Primary Elections; California Governor Race Too Close to Call
California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and South Dakota held primary elections on June 2. In California's gubernatorial race, Republican businessman Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra are leading, but the race remained too close to call early Wednesday. In Iowa, a surprising upset saw farmer Zach Lahn defeat Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra for the GOP gubernatorial nomination.
California Governor's Race
In California's unique primary system, voters send the top two vote-getters to November's general election regardless of candidates' political parties, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is term limited, with California voters also picking who should move on to the general election in five new Democratic-leaning congressional districts. That primary was too close to call early Wednesday morning.
Hilton, a former Fox News host endorsed by President Donald Trump, anchored his pitch on affordability, vowing to make the state "Cal affordable" by letting workers keep "your first 100 grand tax-free," cutting electric bills "in half," and pushing for "$3 gas" by tapping California oil. Former HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra told supporters that it "appears that we are on track to advance to November," framing his gubernatorial bid as an underdog story built on his parents — "two immigrants, $12 and a dream" — and pitched a "building revolution" on housing, universal access to affordable health care, and a defense of voting and "the rights of women, no exception, no equivocation, no retreat".
Iowa Gubernatorial Upset
Trump-backed Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, conceded to MAHA-backed Republican Zach Lahn after the polls closed Tuesday night in Iowa's GOP gubernatorial primary, with Lahn, a farmer and businessman who campaigned on an "Iowa First" message, pulling off a surprising upset over Feenstra in the race to succeed outgoing Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.
Iowa Senate Race
In Iowa, Democratic voters picked state Rep. Josh Turek as their candidate in a key Senate race, with Democrats needing to pick up four seats to win a majority in the Senate, forcing the party to win in Republican-leaning states like Iowa.