California voters head to the polls Tuesday for primary elections that feature tightly contested open races for governor and Los Angeles mayor. The contests are defined by uncertainty, drawing outsider candidates and established political figures into a state-wide and municipal spotlight as campaigns enter their final days.
In the governor’s race, former Fox News television host and British political adviser Steve Hilton is urging Republican voters to consolidate behind his candidacy. Hilton is vying for one of the two spots on the November general election ballot alongside Democrats Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra, hoping to crack open the state’s durable political hierarchy.
Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer and former state attorney general Xavier Becerra are also competing in the Democratic field for the executive office. The top-two primary system advances the highest vote-getters regardless of party affiliation, setting the stage for a potentially cross-party November runoff depending on Tuesday’s returns.
In Los Angeles, reality television personality Spencer Pratt is mounting an insurgent campaign against incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass. According to reporting from the Associated Press, Pratt is narrowly clustered with Bass and progressive City Council member Nithya Raman, who is running an explicit challenge to Bass’ political left.
Pratt addressed a gathering of supporters at a block party on Sunday, framing the final stretch as a critical moment for the city. “We can’t give up on LA,” Pratt told the applauding crowd. “We’ve got to fight.”
The outcome of Tuesday’s voting will determine which candidates advance to the general election, reshaping the immediate political landscape in both the state capital’s periphery and the nation’s second-largest city.