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By Collin Breaux
The early results in California’s Primary Election are starting to roll in, providing a preview of the General Election to come this November.
Two State Senate races covering portions of South Orange County include the 36th and 38th—the first representing Dana Point and San Clemente, and the latter San Juan Capistrano and Rancho Mission Viejo.
District 36 only had two candidates, Democrat Kim Carr and Republican Janet Nguyen. The two will automatically go on to the General Election.
In California, the top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the General Election in the fall.
As of this post, the results were neck-and-neck with Nguyen getting 50.7% of votes (46,641) and Carr 49.3% (45,388), according to early results from the California Secretary of State’s office.
Carr—who is currently a councilmember in Huntington Beach—was in a council meeting while early results were released Tuesday night, but did provide a prepared statement when reached for comment.
“I’m a third-generation Californian who grew up in Orange County and I am raising my family here. This is my home and I’m grateful to serve this beautiful community,” Carr said. “This campaign is all about protecting and preserving our neighborhoods, keeping our coastal economy vibrant, helping small businesses thrive and ensuring a woman’s right to health care.”
Nguyen, a state assemblymember, did not respond to a request for comment, as of this post.
Over in the 38th District, the race appeared to be narrowed down to Democrat Catherine Blakespear and Republican Matt Gunderson. Blakespear had 47.7% of the early votes (56,496), while Gunderson had 40.9% (48,401).
Democrat Joe Kerr, a retired fire captain and an additional primary candidate, got 11.4% of the votes (13,476). Blakespear, the mayor of Encinitas, said through a prepared statement that she was “honored by the tremendous support for our campaign.”
“Tonight, voters sent a clear, unmistakable message that they want someone who will fight for our environment, for women’s right to choose, and for gun violence prevention,” Blakespear said. “I’m humbled by tonight’s victory and excited for the road ahead in the General Election.”
Gunderson, a small business owner, did not respond to a request for comment as of this post, but did react to the early results on his Twitter account.
“Thank you to my family, friends, voters, and volunteers who have given us the opportunity to move onto the General Election for the 38th District!” Gunderson said. “Together, we can end our epidemic of homelessness, preserve local control, and stop this rise in crime.”
Primary results will be certified by July 15, according to the California Secretary of State.
Collin Breaux
Collin Breaux covers San Juan Capistrano and other South Orange County news as the City Editor for The Capistrano Dispatch. Before moving to California, he covered Hurricane Michael, politics and education in Panama City, Florida. He can be reached by email at cbreaux@picketfencemedia.com.
