California opens a wide governor race as top-two primary takes center stage alongside a tense LA mayoral showdown

Six states hold primaries today, led by California’s open governor race under a top-two system that could send two Democrats to November; notable dynamics include Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer rising after former frontrunner Eric Swalwell dropped out, while Republicans like Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco vie for a path to November. In Los Angeles, incumbent Karen Bass faces a high-profile mayoral field that includes Spencer Pratt. If no candidate clears 50%, the top two advance to the November ballot. The article also outlines concurrent primaries in Iowa, New Jersey, Montana, South Dakota, and New Mexico as part of a nationally watched midterm cycle.