Democrats hope for ‘blue wave’ push from eight-state primary day

Democrats fought to shape the political battlefield in primaries across eight states on Tuesday, none more important than California where Republicans avoided an embarrassing setback in the race for governor.

Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, easily advanced to the general election, with business executive John Cox coming in second. Cox’s strong finish put to rest Republican Party fears that no Republican would qualify for the deeply Democratic state’s top office this fall and the party’s other candidates would suffer from a resulting lack of voter interest on election day.

The governor’s race was one of many drawing attention to California, a state not accustomed to being a national political battleground. But its handful of competitive House races – largely in Southern California – have made it hotly contested territory in the fight over control of the House, drawing big money and the spotlight on the biggest primary night of midterms.

Meanwhile, voters in seven other states went to the polls. And it was a big night for women, as female candidates for governor advanced. Democratic incumbents, including California’s Senator Dianne Feinstein, fared well, fending off challenges from the left.

Neither party immediately appeared to suffer major setbacks. Yet the winners and losers in California’s most competitive races could take days to sort out given the state’s unique election laws.