5 things to watch in Tuesday's primaries in California, Iowa and beyond

By — Steven Sloan, Associated Press Steven Sloan, Associated Press By — Steve Peoples, Associated Press Steve Peoples, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/5-things-to-watch-in-tuesdays-primaries-in-california-iowa-and-beyond Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter 5 things to watch in Tuesday's primaries in California, Iowa and beyond Politics Jun 2, 2026 6:45 PM EDT WASHINGTON (AP) — For a state that's home to Hollywood, there isn't much star power in California's governor race. It's a somewhat different story in Los Angeles, where a reality television personality is running for mayor as the city prepares to host the Olympics. More primaries are being held on Tuesday as well. Democrats are banking on a rare chance to regain ground in Iowa, a rural state that has repeatedly eluded them in recent years. Republicans, meanwhile, are grappling with a New Jersey congressman whose unexplained absence could put their already slim majority at risk. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Here are some things to watch as voters in California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota cast ballots. Follow along with live results from the Associated Press: California Iowa Montana New Jersey New Mexico South Dakota California's low-wattage race for governor Ronald Reagan. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Jerry Brown. Gavin Newsom. The governor's office in California typically attracts some of the highest-wattage names in politics, but not this year. READ MORE: California holds crowded primary with dozens of candidates to replace Newsom Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Alex Padilla took a pass on the race. And with Newsom barred from seeking a third term, the campaign to succeed him turned into a sprawling, often messy contest. In the final stretch, much of the attention has focused on Democrats Xavier Becerra, the former congressman and state attorney general who was also health secretary under President Joe Biden, and Tom Steyer, a billionaire known for his climate activism. Republican Steve Hilton is campaigning with President Donald Trump's endorsement. READ MORE: New Mexicans vote in gubernatorial primaries as revenue soars from oil boom Under California's primary system, all candidates appear on a single ballot and the top two finishers advance to the November general election, regardless of party. The absence of a front-runner incentivized virtually anyone with political ambition and a modicum of organization to join the race, leaving Democrats worried that their candidates would divide the vote and ultimately be shut out of the fall campaign. But those fears have eased in the primary's closing weeks, with the party now expecting to secure at least one slot on the November ballot. LIVE RESULTS: California midterm primaries The results could offer insight about how vo