GOP, Dems dodge disaster in California primaries

LOS ANGELES — Republicans and Democrats alike appear to have escaped calamity in a crucial day of coast-to-coast primary battles as they fight to shape the political battlefield for the fall. There was an especially big sigh of relief from the GOP Wednesday after the party avoided being entirely shut out of California’s November election of a new governor.

Republicans had feared that Democrats would win both of the governor’s spots in California’s unique top-two primary system. With no one to support at the top of the state ticket, the concern was that GOP voters would sit the election out, giving Democrats a big advantage in House races across the state that could help swing control of Congress.

There was less Democratic talk of a November “blue wave” on Wednesday. And President Donald Trump, crediting “the Trump impact,” said there might be “a big Red Wave” instead. But that seemed to be more of a typical presidential boast than a realistic analysis of the California results.

While some Golden State contests remained too close to call Wednesday, Republican gubernatorial candidate John Cox speaks at a party Tuesday in San Diego. The business executive finished second in the California primary and will face Democratic Lt. Gov. Gavin Newson in the November election.

Republicans managed to get business executive John Cox on the November ballot for governor. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newson, a Democrat, easily captured the top spot to succeed term-limited Jerry Brown in the deeply Democratic state’s top office. There will be no Republican candidate in the other big statewide race, for U.S. Senate.

Democrats were fighting to avoid their own calamity, in California’s many competitive House districts, and appeared to

have largely succeeded.

The concern in their case was that so many candidates would divide the Democratic vote and let Republicans take the top two spots in some House races. After more votes were counted on Wednesday, the Democrats appeared to have avoided being shut out in nearly all of the state’s battleground contests.

Nationwide, Tuesday night was a big night for women, as female candidates for governor

advanced, including Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham in New Mexico and Republican Kristi Noem in South Dakota. Female Republican governors in Alabama and Iowa will try for their first full terms after succeeding men who resigned.

California’s Sen. Dianne Feinstein also fared well, and will face only a fellow Democrat in November.

Still, Trump was ready to celebrate.