Need to Know: Primary Elections Show Trump’s Influence on Both Sides of the Aisle

Most notably, current California Lieutenant Governor and vocal Trump opponent Gavin Newsom won one of two secured spots in upcoming Governor’s race, where he will face Republican Jon Cox. Because California’s primary system advances the top two vote getters to the general election, regardless of party affiliation, pundits worried that strong showings from multiple Republican candidates in red-washed districts could lock Golden State Democrats out of certain midterm battles. While there are still absentee ballots in the Golden State still waiting to be counted, early indications suggest that liberal candidates avoided that potential problem in November.

Around the country, voters in Tuesday’s seven other primary states cast their votes in similarly partisan patterns, with Alabama Republican Rep. Martha Roby now facing a July runoff election largely influenced by her public rebukes of Trump. Challenging Roby will be Bobby Bright, a former Democrat who has since found success aligning himself with President Trump and the right side of the aisle. In addition to Feinstein’s victory, California congressional hopefuls Katie Hill and Katie Porter won their respective elections. In New Mexico, Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham won the gubernatorial primary, and Deb Haaland, who could potentially become the first Native American woman to serve in Congress, won a spot in the fight for Grisham’s now-vacated legislative seat.

In Missouri, a special election for a Republican-held state Senate seat encapsulated Tuesday’s polarized politics and successful female showings in one scale-shifting vote.

About Merry Jane

is the definitive cannabis resource on culture, news, video, food and style dedicated to expressing a new cannabis mentality. Through exclusive content and relatable perspectives, MERRY JANE highlights the best of cannabis lifestyle while also offering vital, interactive tools to explore the new frontier of products, dispensaries and community.