CNN
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Primary elections taking place from coast to coast on Tuesday will serve as a barometer of the mood of the electorate as Democrats grapple with frustration over rising gas and grocery prices, rising crime and a lack of of housing, issues that have complicated the party’s hopes of maintaining control of the US House of Representatives in November. .
Voters in California, Iowa, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota cast ballots Tuesday as the focus shifts from the big US Senate races that dominated the May calendar, where Former President Donald Trump’s influence has been tested repeatedly, competitive House races that will offer a window into voters’ willingness to blame the ruling party for their current unease about the state of the economy and the country.
Those dynamics are most evident in California, an overwhelmingly blue state where Democrats currently hold every statewide office and dominate the congressional delegation. The new map that was drawn up by the state’s nonpartisan redistricting commission last year yielded up to 10 competitive House races in California, where Democrats were optimistic about the potential for renewals.
But Golden State voters are grappling with the highest gas prices in the country and are unnerved by rising violent crime, as well as a crushing homeless crisis that many say appears to be getting worse, despite that billions of dollars are being spent to build housing for those living on the streets. All of those issues have surfaced in close races here, emboldening Republicans who are promoting the notion that things are getting out of hand. Under California’s “top two” system, the two candidates who receive the most votes, regardless of party, will advance to the November ballot regardless of party.
Two high-profile local races in heavily Democratic cities in California, the race to replace Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the effort to unseat progressive San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, have also shown how far the pendulum has swung. since the 2020 cycle, when criminal justice was a central issue for Democrats after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
In San Francisco, Boudin’s progressive policies as an advocate for national criminal justice reform have become a central point of contention, as residents have seen burglaries and carjackings rise, fuels calls for his removal.
The Los Angeles mayoral race has pitted six-term U.S. Rep. Karen Bass against mall developer Rick Caruso, a former Republican and billionaire who has spent more than $40 million to push his message that career politicians in Los Angeles are unable to address the rise in crime or the homeless crisis. While Bass says he would bring the Los Angeles Police Department back to its authorized strength of 9,700 officers, in part by hiring more civilians to free up 250 officers to return to patrol the streets, Caruso has promised to hire an additional 1,500 police officers.
Several California Republican incumbents faced challenges of their own Tuesday as the various factions of the GOP continue to battle for dominance. US Representative David Valadao, one of ten members of the Republican Party who supported the impeachment trial 2021, faced a challenge to his right in his Democratic-leaning seat in the Central Valley: the new 22nd Congressional District. Former Fresno City Councilman Chris Mathys said he decided to run because of the Valadao impeachment vote, but Trump has not gotten involved in the race.
Republican Rep. Young Kim also faces stiff competition on her right flank in Orange County’s newly drawn 40th district from Marine veteran Greg Raths, another Trump loyalist.
On the other hand, Democrats hope to use Republican Rep. Mike Garcia’s ties to Trump against him in California’s 27th District after redistricting made his northern Los Angeles County seat more Democratic. (Garcia voted against certifying the results of the 2020 presidential elections in Arizona and Pennsylvania.) Two Democrats, former state Assemblywoman Christy Smith and Quaye Quartey, a former Navy intelligence officer, are vying for the chance to face him in November.
In Montana, Trump is backing his former interior secretary, Ryan Zinke, despite his controversial history, as the candidate tries to return to Congress. The state won a second congressional seat following the 2020 census results. It faces four other candidates in Tuesday’s Republican primary, including former state senator Al Olszewski and pastor Mary Todd, as questions arise about the residence of Zinke. politician recently reported that Zinke’s wife claimed a house in Santa Barbara as her primary residence on tax records, but Zinke maintains that he lives in Whitefish, Montana.
In Iowa, former US Rep. Abby Finkenauer leads the Democratic field in fundraising as she tries to take on veteran Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley two years after losing her re-election campaign to Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson. She is facing retired Navy Admiral Mike Franken and Glenn Hurst, a member of the Minden City Council, in the Democratic primary for Senate. Finkenauer was in danger of missing the ballot after a lower court in Iowa challenged some of the signatures on her nomination petition, but the Iowa Supreme Court ultimately ruled that her name could appear.
One of the most competitive races in the Hawkeye state is in the 3rd district, where incumbent Rep. Cindy Axne, the only Democrat in the congressional delegation, hopes to take her seat in a district that Trump would have won by less than half. point. . His potential Republican rivals in the Des Moines-area district include state Sen. Zach Nunn, an Air Force veteran, and financial planner Nicole Hasso.
House’s other two competitive races at Iowa are up. Republican Rep. Marianne Miller-Meeks will face Democratic state Rep. Christina Bohannan in the new 1st district. In the 2nd district, Hinson will face Democratic state Sen. Liz Mathis, who was also a local television news anchor.
There are also several high-profile congressional races in New Jersey. In the state’s 7th district, Republican Tom Kean Jr., a former state Senate minority leader and son of former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean, is the front-runner in his primary as he seeks to challenge Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski in a swing. seat that became more Republican in redistricting.
In the 8th district in northern New Jersey, Democrat Rob Menendez Jr., the son of New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, is well positioned to win the primary as he seeks the seat of outgoing Democratic Rep. Albio Sires.
Incumbent Republican Rep. Chris Smith, who voted for the bipartisan infrastructure bill, is fending off a number of major challengers in District 4 in central New Jersey, including Mike Crispi, a talk show host. interviews. backed up by Trump allies like Roger Stone and Rudy Giuliani.
In South Dakota, state Rep. Taffy Howard is challenging Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson for the state’s only congressional seat, criticizing him for voting to certify the results of the 2020 election while accepting Trump’s falsehoods about that election. South Dakota Republican Gov. Kristi Noem, a potential 2024 candidate, faces a major challenge from state Rep. Steven Haugaard, who has accused her of being insufficiently conservative and spending too much time as governor catering to her ambitions for higher office.
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