The primary calendar for June starts Tuesday, with contests in seven states, including Montana, Iowa, and California.
These are the top races to be on your radar:
When she was elected to Congress in 2018, Abby Finkenauer, a former Rep., was only 29. She lost her reelection campaign two years ago. She is now running for the Democratic nomination to succeed long-time Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley who has faced minimal GOP opposition.
Retired Navy Adm. Mike Franken is one of Finkenauer’s two main opponents. However, he is still competitive in fundraising. Franken, who was in the military for almost 40 years, and whose resume also includes time with Ted Kennedy in Massachusetts, said he decided to get involved in fundraising after the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021.
Finkenauer is currently the Democratic front-runner. However, she would face a difficult general election race in a state which has been more Republican-friendly in recent years. Grassley (88) is running for his eighth term as a senator.
A key U.S. House primary is also happening as three Republicans aEUR” Nicole Hasso and Gary Leffler, along with Zach Nunn, will be competing to challenge Rep. Cindy Axne’s 3rd District seat.
The race for Los Angeles’ next mayor is nonpartisan. There are two candidates in the race, with Rep. Karen Bass, a long-serving California politician and congresswoman, and Rick Caruso (a billionaire real-estate developer) as the front-runners.
According to an Institute of Governmental Studies poll, Bass and Caruso were ahead of all other candidates in a poll released Sunday. This makes them more likely to make it to the final election runoff in November. To avoid a runoff, a candidate must be more than 50%.
Bass, a former leader of the Congressional Black Caucus represents the establishment wing in the Democratic Party. Caruso has meanwhile focused much of his campaign upon crime and homelessness.
His campaign spending has not slowed down, with over $40 million spent as of June 1st. Bass was the second highest spender with nearly $3.3 million.
LAist has a voter guide that will provide more information. (KQED also has details about the recall of San Francisco’s District Attorney.
All candidates in California, regardless of party affiliation are on the same primary ballot. The top two advance to November’s general election.
Bass is out. California’s 37th Congressional District, which is located in Los Angeles, is now open. It is very likely that another Democrat will be moving into the district.
Bass-backed state senator Sydney Kamlager is one of the hopefuls. He has raised and spent most campaign funds. He is also endorsed by a number of Democrats including Rep. Adam Schiff and Sen. Alex Padilla. Gavin Newsom.
Jan Perry, an ex-Los Angeles City Councilwoman, is currently second in fundraising and spending. Rep. Maxine Wassers, a prominent figure in California politics, supports Perry.
Redistricting can sometimes result in new voting lines that increase incumbents’ chances of winning. This is the case with Republican Rep. Young Kim who currently represents District 39 but is running for the 40th District. Kim has spent over $1 million in order to challenge fellow GOP challengers.
In District 22, GOP Rep. David Valadao was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach President Donald Trump. He is trying to retain his seat in a blue district. However, the race has seen an influx in PAC spending supporting his Republican challengers who are opposed to Valadao’s decision to impeach. Democrats have a chance to win a desperately needed House seat in the battleground district. Rudy Salas is Rudy, the only Democrat who will be on the ballot.
Michelle Steel, a GOP Rep., is one of three women to be elected in 2020. She will also face a new district, the 45th. In a close race, she faces Jay Chen, a top Democratic challenger. Steele’s incumbent status and the chance for Democrats to retake one district are at stake.
A final thing to keep an eye on: Five Republicans are running against Democratic Rep. Mike Levin in the 49th District. This includes Brian Maryott, a state GOP-backed candidate.
After redistricting, Montana’s western part gained a seat in the House for the first-time in its history. It is expected to be lean Republican.
Ryan Zinke is running for the region which includes Kalispell and Missoula as well as Butte, Bozeman, and he was a former congressman, interior secretary and president of Trump’s Trump administration. He resigned in 2018 after two years of misconduct allegations.
Four other Republicans will be facing him. Zinke has a Trump endorsement and is ahead in fundraising, but he will have to deal with the controversies that have followed his departure from federal service. The former secretary is currently being questioned about his Montana residency. A report by the DOI’s Office of Inspection General earlier this year found that Zinke had misused his Cabinet position to promote a development project within his hometown.
Three Democrats are running for the party’s primary.
Montana Public Radio’s guide to voters has more information.
A second House contest is taking place in New Mexico’s southern District 2nd District. In that district, incumbent GOP Rep. Yvette Sherrell will be facing a redrawn area that is more Democratic than her previous boundaries.
She’s not being challenged on the Republican ballot. However, there are two Democrats who will be challenging her. Gabe Vasquez is a former Las Cruces City Councilor and has raised more than half a million dollars.
New Mexico is another place to be on the lookout: Republican voters will choose among five candidates for Democratic governor. Michelle Lujan Grisham.
Several Republicans are vying for the Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski’s seat in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. The district leans slightly towards the GOP. Thomas Kean Jr. is one of the Republicans on the ballot, who Malinowski defeated by just over 55,000 votes in 2020.
Although he did not vote to certify the 2020 election as a Republican, Michael Guest, the incumbent GOP Rep. is up against primary challengers from those who align with the further right. Guest was one 35 House Republicans who voted to establish an independent commission to investigate Capitol attack. Guest, who is second in fundraising, runs on an “America First” platform and has opposed Guest’s participation in the Jan. 6 investigations.
Clay Masters, Iowa Public Radio’s reporter, contributed reporting.
