Congress: Top-two didn’t end the world or the parties
It could be said of this year’s edition of California’s top-two primary that rarely has so much been made by so many of so little. Particularly in key congressional races, the results failed to justify prophecies that Democrats would dice up the vote and be prevented from challenging vulnerable Republicans in November. Likewise, obscure Republicans proved competitive with prominent Democrats in contests for governor and U.S. Senate.
That should temper hand-wringing about the primary, which advances the top two candidates regardless of party. Particularly in lopsided districts and races, toptwo can more closely reflect voters’ will and test entrenched incumbents. Most of its critics are mourning the loss of an unearned advantage for the major parties.
Despite the parties’ decline, with unaffiliated voters now constituting California’s second “party,” partisanship remains powerful. It helped propel gubernatorial hopeful John Cox, a GOP newcomer from Illinois, past Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, a onetime Assembly speaker and Los Angeles mayor. Another former legislative leader, Democratic Senate candidate Kevin de León, hopes to topple a party icon, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, but only narrowly defeated a largely unknown Republican, James Bradley.
De León still represents Feinstein’s most serious potential competition; just ask Democratic gubernatorial front-runner Gavin Newsom, who wanted to face a Republican rival in November. Fortunately, the top-two primary won’t always give politicians and parties what they want.