SAN FRANCISCO – It was a nearly perfect year for Democratic incumbents everywhere except California. Here, the Top Two primary pitted Democrats against fellow Democrats in November, and candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) and the Working Families Party (WFP) used those same-party contests to challenge the party establishment.
The results were mixed.
Members of the DSA defeated Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Congressman Jimmy Gomez, and the WFP’s Jane Kim leads the only competitive statewide race in the entire state. DSA- and WFP-backed candidates also beat fellow Democrats in two open legislative races.
But Rep. Doris Matsui easily turned back a DSA challenger, and DSA- and WFP-backed candidates are currently trailing in four of the five open state legislative races they contested.
The two organizations are separate, but according to CalMatters, “in elections, the WFP plays a generally similar role as the Democratic Socialists of America.”
Two DSA Wins in Dem v. Dem Races
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass conceded today to City Councilmember Nithya Raman, a DSA member. Raman won 429,450 votes to 394,796, or 52.1 percent to 47.9 percent, a margin of 34,654 votes.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez conceded to Angela Gonzales-Torres, also a DSA member, who leads 59.7 percent to 40.3 percent, a 19.4-point margin. Gomez is the only Democratic member in Congress to lose reelection so far.
In the North Bay, Rep. Mike Thompson trails fellow Democrat Eric Jones, a former venture capitalist, 51.6 percent to 48.4 percent, a 3.2-point gap. The AP has not called the race. If Jones holds on, Thompson would become the second Democratic incumbent in Congress to lose this year.
Statewide: Only One Truly Competitive Race
In every statewide race but one, Top Two produced a Democrat-versus-Republican general election, and Republicans lost all of them. Gov.-elect Xavier Becerra defeated Republican Steve Hilton 5,186,352 votes to 2,894,119, a 28.4-point margin in the current count.
The only competitive statewide race was for insurance commissioner, a contest between two Democrats that has not been called. Jane Kim, founding executive director of the California Working Families Party, leads state Sen. Ben Allen by about 4 points, roughly 3.6 million votes to 3.3 million.
Kim built her campaign on the organized left. In January, WFP endorsed her and pledged a statewide organizing effort. California DSA lists Kim as its pick, and both DSA-LA and DSA-San Diego recommend her. Sen. Bernie Sanders, SEIU California, and the California Teachers Association also back Kim, who has proposed state-run “natural disaster insurance for all.”
Incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Defeats DSA
Rep. Doris Matsui leads DSA-backed Mai Vang by nearly 15 points.
Two Wins for DSA for Open Seats in the State Legislature
In Congressional District 14, the seat vacated by Eric Swalwell, WFP-backed Aisha Wahab, a member of the “California Squad,” is beating fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez by double digits, 56.5 percent to 43.5 percent.
In Assembly District 12, Jackie Elward, backed by the Sonoma County DSA and WFP, leads Marin County Supervisor Eric Lucan, a more moderate Democrat, 56.7 percent to 43.3 percent, a 13.4-point margin. Lucan and Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas have both called Elward to congratulate her.
Four Losses for DSA-backed Candidates in State Legislature
Of the five open legislative races where California DSA or WFP backed a candidate against another more mainstream Democrat, Elward’s is the only one where their candidate leads. In each of the other four, the more moderate Democrat is ahead.
In Senate District 24, DSA-recommended John Erickson trails Brian Goldsmith by 14.3 points.
In Senate District 26, the open East LA seat left by María Elena Durazo, DSA-backed Sarah Rascón trails Sara Hernandez by 12.6 points.
In Assembly District 66, DSA-recommended Sara Deen trails Paul Seo by 23 points.
The closest of the four races for open legislative seats is in Assembly District 68, where the DSA-recommended Jessie Lopez trails David Penaloza by 3.9 points. Penaloza is leading by 3,000 votes.
All results are unofficial. The Secretary of State’s certification is due Dec. 11.