California primary havoc

Conservative political activist group Reform California lists 26 elections that must flip or stay red to keep the state from swinging further to the left, an even tougher task after last November’s Proposition 50 redrew electoral districts. Democrats thereby hope to gain five congressional seats to offset Texas’ own redistricting efforts. California holds its primaries on June 2.

Redrawn District 13 in the San Joaquin Valley is a toss-up, lending Republicans hope that former Stockton Mayor and Pastor Kevin Lincoln can unseat incumbent Democrat Adam Gray, who himself flipped the seat in 2024. Republicans must defend District 22, in the southern Central Valley, by keeping incumbent David Valadao in his seat. Democrats in this “purple” agricultural region are divided between moderate state legislator Jasmeet Bains and progressive professor Randy Villegas. That battle echoes national debate over the future of the Democratic Party in the era of Zohran Mamdani.

New boundaries forced some candidates like longtime GOP Rep. Darrell Issa, to retire after two decades. For his District 48 replacement, Issa endorsed San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond, but redistricting means 11 Democrats now vie for the open seat, which is a must-win for the party to gain control of the House.

Nevada free for all

The unexpected retirement of Rep. Mark Amodei, the lone Republican of Nevada’s four congressmembers, has sparked one of the country’s most crowded primary races. The June 9 contest for the northern, red-­leaning district will be a showdown between 15 Republicans and 11 Demo­crats. Former state Sen. James Settelmeyer has endorsements from Amodie and Gov. Joe Lombardo. David Flippo, a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel originally running for Nevada’s 4th Congressional District changed races after Amodei’s February retirement announcement. Flippo received numerous MAGA endorsements, but has been chided for changing races by another Republican candidate, former Eureka County Sheriff Jesse Watts. Democratic candidates include Greg Kidd, a venture capitalist who ran for the seat in 2024, and former state Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson. With such a crowded race, results could be a toss-up, though the district typically leans Republican.

Iowa: Rematch in the Hawkeye state

Incumbent Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks faces a two-prong primary challenge from fellow Republican David Pautsch and newcomer 27-year-old Tyler Hegewald for Iowa’s 1st Congressional District seat. MAGA candidate Pautsch is running to the right of Miller-Meeks with Hegewald to her left, calling himself an “Abraham Lincoln Republican.” The June 2 primary will have Democrats deciding between former state Rep. Christina Bohannan and political newcomer Travis Terrell. Bohannan has run against Miller-Meeks for the southeastern district seat twice before, losing in 2024 by only 799 votes, making the seat extremely vulnerable.