Korean American members of Congress received mixed results in California's primary elections. On June 2, Dave Min (Democrat) secured his place in the general election for California's 47th District with 44.7% of the vote based on 50% of ballots counted.
Min's closest competitor, Republican Jenny Rae Le Roux, and other Republican candidates collectively garnered less than 40% of the vote, suggesting a strong likelihood of Min's victory in the general election.
In contrast, Young Kim (Republican), who goes by the Korean name Kim Young-ok, faced a tough battle in California's 40th District. After redistricting, she was defeated by fellow Republican Ken Calvert, who received 36% of the votes, while Kim managed only 21.6%. Esther Kim-Barrett (Democrat), also of Korean descent, placed third with 15.7%.
This primary election also highlighted the impact of Proposition 50, a redistricting measure passed by Democrats last November aimed at increasing their seats in the House of Representatives. In San Diego's 48th District, where incumbent Darrell Issa (Republican) announced he would not seek re-election, nine Democratic candidates competed, raising concerns about vote splitting. However, a Democratic candidate advanced to the general election.
In the 22nd District, incumbent David Valadao (Republican) confirmed his place in the general election, while Democratic candidates collectively surpassed 50% of the vote.
However, an unexpected twist occurred in the 6th District, where Kevin Kiley, who left the Republican Party to run as an independent in protest of redistricting, led with 26.9% of the votes based on 47% counted. Republican Michael Stansfield and Democrat Richard Pan were in a close race for second and third place, with 22.1% and 21.2%, respectively, raising the possibility that Democrats might not field a candidate in the general election.
In the gubernatorial race, Republican Steve Hilton led with 27.6% of the votes based on 55% counted, narrowly ahead of Democrat Javier Becerra at 25.5%. Neither candidate has yet secured a spot in the general election.
If Hilton wins, he would become California's first Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger's re-election in 2006. Conversely, if Becerra is elected, he would be the first Latino governor in nearly 150 years.
In the Los Angeles mayoral race, incumbent Karen Bass secured her place in the runoff with 36.5% of the vote. Reality TV star Spencer Pratt, backed by former President Donald Trump, was in second place with 29.2%, while Nitya Raman, known as the "Mom-Dani of the West," followed closely with 21.4%.
The California primary allows all candidates to run regardless of party affiliation, with the top two advancing to the general election on November 3. However, as ballots are still being counted and many mail-in votes remain, final results in some competitive districts may take longer to determine.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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