N.J. primaries go the way Dem leaders had hoped
LOS ANGELES» Holding hopes of a “blue wave” in November, Democrats fought to shape the political battlefield in primaries across eight states Tuesday, none more important than California and New Jersey, where control of Congress may well be decided this fall.
In New Jersey, Mikie Sherrill, a former federal prosecutor and Navy pilot and now the Democratic establishment favorite, bested a field of party rivals in the race to replace retiring Republican Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen. She’ll take on GOP Assemblyman Jay Webber in one of several races that Democrats view as prime opportunities to pick up seats in the House.
Democrats need to pick up 23 seats to seize control of the House in November.
Significant contests also played out elsewhere Tuesday.
Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker won his primary contest, as did New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, a Democrat who faced federal bribery charges last year. The jury deadlocked, but Republicans hope to use Menendez’s legal troubles to tar other Democrats such as Sherrill across the state.
In Alabama, four-term Republican Rep. Martha Roby was forced into a runoff election next month after failing to win 50 percent of the vote. She faces former Democratic Rep. Bobby Bright in Alabama’s conservative 2nd District.
Because of California’s unusual primary system, President Donald Trump’s party faces the prospect of not qualifying any candidate for the governor’s race or the U.S. Senate. Democrats, meanwhile, could be shut out of a handful of competitive House races because they ran too many primary candidates and diluted their vote.
Under California’s system, all candidates appear on a single primary ballot, with the top two vote-getters regardless of party advancing to the November election. That allows the possibility of two candidates from the same party qualifying.
In the race to succeed term-limited Democrat Jerry Brown, two Democrats — Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — are leading the pack. For the GOP, the Trump-backed John Cox has the best chance at earning a spot.
It’s also possible Republicans may not secure a nomination spot in the challenge against 84-year-old Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who is expected to easily win first place in her primary. Second place is far less certain.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles County officials say the names of more than 118,000 voters were omitted from voter lists because of a printing error. However, they said poll workers were instructed to offer provisional ballots to every voter whose name doesn’t appear on the poll site’s roster.