Reviewing our recommendations for the races in Tuesday’s primary
Over the past several weeks, The Californian has published editorials discussing candidates, who are on Tuesday’s primary election ballot, and recommendations. The following is a summary.
KERN COUNTY RACES
Unlike in races for state or federal offices, the June primary can decide the winners in county races and avoid November general election runoffs. A county candidate only has to receive more than 50 percent of the primary election vote to win. In two countywide races, only two candidates are competing.
Incumbents in four countywide races face no opposition and are expected to automatically be reelected. They are District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer, Treasurer-Tax Collector Jordan Kaufman, Sheriff-Coroner-Public Administrator Donny Youngblood and Superintendent of Schools Mary Barlow.
Assessor-recorder: Assistant Assessor-Recorder Laura Avila has the broadest experience and knowledge of the office. She is endorsed by both the current Assessor-Recorder Jon Lifquist, who is retiring, and the previous Assessor-Recorder Jim Fitch. Vote for Laura Avila
Auditor-controller-county
clerk: Of the two candidates competing to replace retiring Auditor-Controller-County Clerk Mary Bedard, Assistant Auditor-Controller-County Clerk Aimee Espinoza is the most experienced and qualified. After earning a business degree, with a concentration in accounting, she joined the Auditor-Controller-County Clerk’s Office in 2006. She also has worked as a budget and fiscal policy analyst in the County Administrative Office. Vote for Aimee Espinoza
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Multiple candidates are competing to represent the 2nd and 3rd districts on the Kern County Board of Supervisors.
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2nd District supervisor: Incumbent 2nd District Supervisor Zack Scrivner faces two inexperienced candidates who have not been tested by district residents through service in elective offices. Before being elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2010, Scrivner served six years on the Bakersfield City Council. Seeking his fourth term on the county board, Scrivner is the most qualified to represent the district. Vote for Zack Scrivner
3rd District supervisor: Three strong candidates are vying to replace retiring 3rd District Supervisor Mike Maggard. Likely this race will be decided by the two top vote-getters in Tuesday’s primary advancing to a November general election runoff.
The three competing candidates are Maggard chief of staff Jeff Flores, nonprofit director Louis Gill and retired CHP Assistant Chief Brian Smith.
Flores and Gill have the broadest experience and knowledge of the 3rd District. A November runoff between Flores and Gill will give district residents the best opportunity to evaluate candidates and issues. Vote for Jeff Flores or Louis Gill
STATE AND FEDERAL RACES
A top-two primary election system approved by California voters years ago requires candidates for state and federal offices to face off in both the primary and November general election. The top-two vote-getters in the primary races — regardless of how lopsided the vote may be — must advance to compete in the November election. That is why The Californian is recommending who the top two vote-getters (and November competitors) should be. The goal is to have two of the strongest, most qualified candidates compete to give voters a clear view of issues and qualifications.
22nd Congressional District: Because of redistricting, Republican Rep. David Valadao, who presently represents the 21st Congressional District, is competing for a two-year term in the newly created 22nd District. He is being challenged by two Republicans, who contend Valadao is not sufficiently loyal to former President Trump, and by Democratic Assemblyman Rudy Salas. Valadao and Salas are the most qualified candidates to face each other in the November runoff. Vote for Democrat Rudy Salas or Republican David Valadao
20th Congressional District: Bakersfield Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy is facing two Republican candidates and two Democratic candidates for reelection to another two-year term. Fairfax Junior High School English teacher Marisa Wood, a Democrat, is his most substantial challenger. She also is endorsed by the California Democratic Party. Vote for Republican Kevin McCarthy or Democrat Marisa Wood
16th State Senate District: Five candidates are competing in the primary to represent the newly created 16th District, which includes Kern County. Democratic state Sen. Melissa Hurtado, who now represents the neighboring 14th Senate District, and Republican David Shepard, a Porterville farmer, are the most qualified to compete in the November runoff. Vote for Democrat Melissa Hurtado or Republican David Shepard
12th State Senate District: Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove, who now represents the 16th Senate District, and Democrat Susanne Gundy of Visalia are competing to represent the newly created 12th Senate District. Both will advance to compete in the November runoff. Vote for Republican Shannon Grove or Democrat Susanne Gundy
35th Assembly District: Democrats Leticia Perez, a Kern County supervisor, and Jasmeet Bains, a Bakersfield physician, are competing to represent the newly created 35th Assembly District. Both will advance to compete in the November runoff. Vote for Leticia Perez or Jasmeet Bains
32nd Assembly District: Republican Assemblyman Vince Fong, who now represents the 34th Assembly District, faces no opposition for his bid to represent the newly created 32nd Assembly District. Vote for Vince Fong
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California’s constitutional officers, who are elected statewide, also face challengers in Tuesday’s top-two primary election. The two candidates receiving the most votes in each race will advance to runoffs in the November general election.
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Governor: Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is seeking his second, four-year term, is being challenged by a long list of Democratic, Republican, Green Party and independent candidates. They list occupations such as: retiree, contractor, restaurant owner, poet, children’s book author, psychologist, lots of entrepreneurs and several who did not list occupations. His most substantial challenger is state Sen. Brian Dahle, a conservative Republican, who represents a Northern California area. Vote for Democrat Gavin Newsom or Republican Brian Dahle
Lieutenant governor: Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, a Democrat and former U.S. ambassador to Hungary, became the first woman in California’s 172-year history to sign a bill into law last month, when Newsom left the state for vacation. The highest profile candidate among her reelection challengers is Republican Angela Underwood-Jacobs, a Lancaster banker and the city’s deputy mayor. Vote for Republican Angela Underwood-Jacobs or Democrat Eleni Kounalakis
Attorney general: Democrat Rob Bonta is seeking a fouryear term as attorney general. A former deputy city attorney for San Francisco, private attorney, member of the Alameda City Council, assemblyman and state senator, Bonta was appointed last year by Gov. Newsom to serve the remainder of Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s term, when Becerra became President Biden’s U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Bonta faces a primary challenge from two prominent Republican attorneys, Sacramento’s independent district attorney and a Green Party candidate. Sacramento District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert has been tested by several high-profile cases, including prosecution of the Golden State Killer. She has endured the heat of the public spotlight. Vote for Democrat Rob Bonta or independent Anne Marie Schubert
Secretary of state: Democrat Shirley Weber faces six primary challengers for her bid to be elected to a full, four-year term as secretary of state. A former assemblywoman and San Diego State professor, Weber was appointed last year by Gov. Newsom to fill Secretary of State Alex Padilla’s term, after Padilla was appointed by Newsom to temporarily
fill a U.S. Senate vacancy created by former Sen. Kamala Harris’ election as vice president.
Weber is being challenged in the primary by six candidates — four Republicans, a member of the Green Party and an independent. Republican Rob Bernosky, who describes his career as being the chief financial officer for several corporations, is Weber’s most substantial challenger. Vote for Republican Rob Bernosky or Democrat Shirley Weber
Controller: With Controller Betty Yee termed out and unable to run for reelection, six candidates are running in the primary to replace her — four Democrats, a Republican and a Green Party member. Democrat Ron Galperin, controller for the city of Los Angeles, and Republican Lanhee Chen, the former policy adviser to presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio, who has taught public policy at Stanford, are the most qualified to compete in the November runoff. Vote for Democrat Ron Galperin or Republican Lanhee Chen
Treasurer: Incumbent Democratic Treasurer Fiona Ma is being challenged for reelection by three candidates — two Republicans and a member of the Peace and Freedom Party. Before being elected state treasurer in 2018, Ma was a member of the state Board of Equalization, served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and was a member of the state Assembly. Her most substantial challenger is Republican Andrew Do, a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and a former public defender and deputy district attorney. Vote for Republican Andrew Do or Democrat Fiona Ma
Insurance commissioner:
Elected in 2018, Democrat Ricardo Lara faces eight opponents in his bid to be reelected to the office of insurance commissioner. His most formidable opponent is Democrat Assemblyman Marc Levine. Vote for Ricardo Lara or Marc Levine, both Democrats
Superintendent of public instruction: In this nonpartisan race, incumbent Tony Thurmond’s bid for a second four-year term is being challenged by six candidates.
Before his election to this post, he served as a state assemblyman, and as a member of the Richmond City Council and West Contra County School Board.
His most substantial challenger is Lance Christensen, vice president of educational policy and government affairs for the California Policy Center. He is a former member of the San Juan Unified School Board. Vote for Tony Thurmond or Lance Christensen
Board of Equalization, 1st District: Republican incumbent Ted Gaines, a former state senator and member of the Placer County Board of Supervisors, is seeking a second four-year term as the 1st District representative on the Board of Equalization.
He is opposed by three Democratic candidates that include Jose Altamirano, who has worked in the casualty insurance industry and is a senior manager with the State Compensation Fund. Altamirano is the most substantial challenger. Vote for Republican Ted Gaines or Democrat Jose Altamirano
U.S. Senate: We have left the most confusing race on Tuesday’s ballot to the last. No, you will not be seeing double. But you will be asked to vote that way.
There are two U.S. Senate races on Tuesday’s ballot — a “special election” to fill the unexpired term of former Sen. Kamala Harris, which was vacated when she became vice president.
Last year, Gov. Gavin Newsom appointed Secretary of State Alex Padilla to temporarily fill the post.
The second race is to fill a full, six-year term of what was Harris’ Senate seat.
Democrat Padilla is running in both primaries. He is being challenged by slates of relatively unknown candidates.
The “technical problem” that resulted in this confusion was explained in detail in an earlier editorial.
The bottom line is that voters are being asked to cast their primary ballots twice for the same office.
Democrat Padilla has the advantage because he is the most experienced and best-known. He has served as a state senator and California’s secretary of state. He faces an assortment of lesser-known candidates — Republican, Democrat, Green Party, Peace and Freedom, and independents — who are trailing significantly in the polls.
The Californian is not recommending who Padilla should face in the November runoffs.