Political analyst Mike Luery joined KCRA 3 News on Wednesday to share his takeaways about the voting results so far from California’s June 2 primary.Who were the big winners? Luery said the Democratic establishment did well on election night. In the governor’s race, Xavier Becerra was well-known and now looks to advance instead of his well-funded billionaire opponent Tom Steyer. Steyer used about $215 million of his own money to campaign for the job. “You saw those ads on the air,” Luery said. “They were nonstop.” Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui, who faced a challenger half her age in Mai Vang for the U.S. House District 7 election, was another establishment candidate who did well, Luery said. The LA mayor’s race showed incumbent Karen Bass still making the top two despite facing “dismal” approval ratings in the wake of the deadly 2025 wildfires.What were the biggest surprises? Luery said Rep. Kevin Kiley’s leading performance in the 6th Congressional District race was a surprise. Kiley, a former Republican, is now running as an independent. “This was a district that was carved up by Prop 50 and designed to be a safe seat for Democrats,” Luery said. “Well, it turns out it’s not so safe after all because Kevin Kiley is leading that race as a no party preference ”Adding to the surprise is the fact that an unknown Republican, as of Wednesday, was in second place, potentially shutting out a Democratic contender. Luery also pointed to results in the lieutenant governor race as another surprise. The leading candidate, Gloria Romero, is running as a Republican. But she used to be the Democratic Senate majority leader. Democrat Fiona Ma will be her likely opponent. Another Democrat, Josh Fryday, had spent about $4 million in campaign funds in that race but was in third place, Luery said. Luery also mentioned voter turnout, with a late surge of interest among voters who showed up to the polls. Looking ahead to November Luery said that a big issue to watch in November will be a possible vote on a billionaire’s tax, which has received notable opposition from Gov. Gavin Newsom, among others.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google (Video below: California political analysts on what stood out the most on election night.)
Political analyst Mike Luery joined KCRA 3 News on Wednesday to share his takeaways about the voting results so far from California’s June 2 primary.
Who were the big winners?
Luery said the Democratic establishment did well on election night.
In the governor’s race, Xavier Becerra was well-known and now looks to advance instead of his well-funded billionaire opponent Tom Steyer. Steyer used about $215 million of his own money to campaign for the job.
“You saw those ads on the air,” Luery said. “They were nonstop.”
Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui, who faced a challenger half her age in Mai Vang for the U.S. House District 7 election, was another establishment candidate who did well, Luery said.
The LA mayor’s race showed incumbent Karen Bass still making the top two despite facing “dismal” approval ratings in the wake of the deadly 2025 wildfires.
What were the biggest surprises?
Luery said Rep. Kevin Kiley’s leading performance in the 6th Congressional District race was a surprise. Kiley, a former Republican, is now running as an independent.
“This was a district that was carved up by Prop 50 and designed to be a safe seat for Democrats,” Luery said. “Well, it turns out it’s not so safe after all because Kevin Kiley is leading that race as a no party preference [candidate.]”
Adding to the surprise is the fact that an unknown Republican, as of Wednesday, was in second place, potentially shutting out a Democratic contender.
Luery also pointed to results in the lieutenant governor race as another surprise.
The leading candidate, Gloria Romero, is running as a Republican. But she used to be the Democratic Senate majority leader.
Democrat Fiona Ma will be her likely opponent.
Another Democrat, Josh Fryday, had spent about $4 million in campaign funds in that race but was in third place, Luery said.
Luery also mentioned voter turnout, with a late surge of interest among voters who showed up to the polls.
Looking ahead to November
Luery said that a big issue to watch in November will be a possible vote on a billionaire’s tax, which has received notable opposition from Gov. Gavin Newsom, among others.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel | Make KCRA a preferred news source in Google
(Video below: California political analysts on what stood out the most on election night.)