Early returns tabulated by show that all of the state鈥檚 incumbent Democrats were on the path to being handily reelected: Gov. Gavin Newsom, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, Attorney General Rob Bonta, Secretary of State Shirley Weber, Treasurer Fiona Ma, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond.
Lanhee Chen, the state controller candidate that some thought could be the , was trailing his Democratic opponent Malia Cohen by double digits in early returns 鈥� raising questions about the GOP鈥檚 future in the state.
- While Cohen declared victory Tuesday night, Chen鈥檚 campaign , 鈥淚t is way too early to concede 鈥� there are still millions of votes left to count.鈥�
When it comes to ballot measures, three easily sailed to victory: , to enshrine the right to abortion and contraception in the state Constitution; , to require the state spend more money on arts and music education in public schools; and , to uphold a state law banning the sale of certain flavored tobacco products.
On the other hand, voters decisively rejected and , which would have legalized sports betting at Native American casinos and online, respectively; and shot down , the third effort in as many elections to increase regulation of kidney dialysis clinics.
, which would to fund electric vehicle programs and hire more firefighters, also was defeated.
- The initiative 鈥� opposed by the head-scratching combination of and the California Republican Party, and supported by the California Democratic Party and prominent labor and environmental groups 鈥� proved extremely contentious up to the last minute.
- 鈥淲e鈥檝e got to defeat Prop. 30, which is bad for our state,鈥� Newsom told reporters Tuesday morning after casting his ballot at the California Museum in Sacramento. On Monday, the initiative鈥檚 supporters , alleging the No on 30 campaign sent last-minute 鈥渕isleading texts鈥� to millions of voters.
In brief remarks at a Sacramento victory party for Prop. 1 on Tuesday night, Newsom focused less on his gubernatorial win than on the significance of California voters overwhelmingly passing the abortion rights amendment 鈥� which he contrasted with policies in 鈥渞ed states鈥� that exhibit 鈥渃ruelty鈥� and a 鈥渮est for demonization.鈥�
- Newsom: 鈥淲e affirmed clearly with conviction that we are a true freedom state. 鈥� That is a point of contrast with the uncertainty that we鈥檙e currently experiencing as it relates to the national mood. 鈥� In states large and small, rights that we鈥檝e come all to enjoy are on the line. In states large and small, we have governors that won their reelection tonight in other states that are banning books, that are banning speech, that are banning abortion. And here we are in California moving in a completely different direction. That鈥檚 a deep point of pride. And it鈥檚 with that passion that I bring to this second term, a resolve to do more to advance that cause of freedom and fairness.鈥�
But while the outcomes of many races seemed clear Tuesday night, some of the most heated 鈥� 鈥� state legislative and U.S. House contests were too close to call, and .
It also remains to be seen whether will crash over California House races and if so, to what extent. Ultimately, which party ends up in control of Congress could conceivably be decided by races in the Golden State.
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