Democrats nominated history makers for Senate in Iowa and governor in New Mexico, while Trump's GOP primary winning streak came to an end.Show Caption
President Donald Trump's winning streak in Republican primaries screeched to a halt on June 2, as his preferred candidate fell to a novice in the Iowa Republican primary for governor.Other headline-grabbing results from the six-state primary day included Democrats nominating a former wheelchair basketball gold medalist for Senate and a Native American woman governor, which would be a first in U.S. history.But the biggest state to hold an election didn't answer the questions everyone wanted to know: Whether two TV stars turned first-time candidates running as Republicans in California make it to the general election?California is slowly counting the votes in its closely watched June 2 gubernatorial contest, with early results showing Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra at the top of the heap.With roughly half of the votes counted by 2 am ET on June 3, Hilton, a former Fox News host endorsed by Trump, stood in first with about 27%, followed by Becerra, a former Biden administration official, holding roughly 26%."The California Dream is alive tonight," Becerra told supporters.Democrat Tom Steyer, a billionaire climate activist who jousted with Becerra in the campaign's final weeks, held steady at approximately 20%, followed by Republican Chad Bianco with 11%."We’re going to wait until every ballot is counted," Steyer said during his campaign party in San Francisco. "We’re going to give democracy time to work."And in Los Angeles, former "The Hills" personality Spencer Pratt − another Republican recipient of Trump's blessing − was in second place in the mayoral race. But, like the governor's contest, the race remained too close to call.In New Jersey, Democrats had a four-person primary to decide who best to take on Republican Rep. Tom Kean, who hasn't been seen on Capitol Hill since early March.Here are the important takeaways from the June 2 battles across the country.Why Steyer still has hopeOnly the top two vote-getters in the Golden State's non-partisan "jungle primary" advance to the general election this fall, and early on during the governor's race Democrats were worried about being shut out.Early polling showed Hilton and fellow Republican Chad Bianco leading the pack with the state's liberal majority split among a large crop of Democratic contenders to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is term-limited.But that changed in the final stretch of the campaign with Becerra emerging as the leader in the polls after former U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell departed from the race in April over allegations of sexual assault and misconduct, which he denies.Becerra looks very likely to finish in the top two. And while Steyer may not, it's possible he could break through and lock out the Republicans, some political observers suggest.That's because many Democratic voters waited to cast their ballots until Election Day rather than mail in their vote early, which could create a so-called "red mirage" where a GOP candidate takes an early lead that subsides as later ballots arrive.L.A. Mayor Karen Bass avoids embarrassmentIncumbent Democratic L.A. Mayor Karen Bass will advance to the November general election, most likely against Republican Spencer Pratt, a reality TV star who was in second place with 29% of the vote with just over half of the vote counted, while Bass led with 37% of the vote.Progressive Democratic socialist L.A. Councilwoman Nithya Raman was trailing in third at 21%.Bass had appeared to be at some risk of an upset loss, due to her low approval ratings.Speaking about the mayor, Pratt told reporters at his campaign party, "She knows it's on. I hope she’s ready!"Could Iowa Senate race put GOP on defense?In recent elections, Iowa has moved from a swing state to reliably Republican, but the retirement of Sen. Joni Ernst and voter anxiety over Trump's trade wars have made Iowa Republicans unusually nervous.Forecasters have rated the 2026 Hawkeye State Senate race as competitive now that voters set the general election table with Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek facing Republican U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson.Turek, a two-time Paralympic gold medalist, drew national attention as a self-described "prairie populist" with an inspiring biography as a Paralympian born with spina bifida due to his father's Agent Orange exposure during the Vietnam War.Hinson, a third-term congresswoman, sailed through the Republican primary, with the help of Trump's endorsement, saying she would be the president's "top ally" if elected to the Senate.But she's also begun a pivot to the political center, emphasizing in a statement to the USA TODAY Network that she will fight to "make life more affordable." Hinson regularly highlights her support for Trump's "one big, beautiful bill" that included tax cuts on tips and overtime pay."I'll work with anyone, from any party, to get things done for Iowa," she said.Democrats are expected to campaign against Hinson by spotlighting the ill effects of the Trump administration's trade policies on Iowa agriculture.Zach Lahn defeats Trump-endorsed contender in IowaRepublican businessman Zach Lahn, who entered the Iowa primary race for governor as a virtual unknown, stunned presumed favorite U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra to win the party’s nomination, CNN and Decision Desk HQ reported.Though Republican President Donald Trump endorsed Feenstra in the final days of the race, it was not enough to propel him across the finish line as he struggled to win over grassroots supporters and consolidate the field.The Associated Press called the race for Lahn at 11:50 p.m. local time on June 2, but Feenstra conceded much earlier. Lahn will face Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand, who ran unopposed for his party’s nomination.Trump endorses missing congressmanWhere in the world is Rep. Tom Kean Jr.? That's been the question swirling in some New Jersey voters' minds after the Republican congressman's nearly 3-month absence from Capitol Hill due to an undisclosed "health matter.""I will transition from virtual work to in-person work within a matter of weeks," Kean said in a June 2 statement.Trump said in a social media post that the 57-year-old Kean -- who has missed more than 100 votes -- is "working tirelessly" for New Jersey.Democrat Rebecca Bennett, 39, a retired Navy helicopter pilot, came out on top in the four-way primary to challenge Kean, son of former New Jersey Gov. Tom Kean, Sr., this November.The Garden State's 7th Congressional District, nestled along the northwestern Delaware River border with Pennsylvania, is one of the critical toss-up contests in the 2026 midterms, according to various political forecasters.It is one of the wealthiest in the country with a roughly $105,000 median household income and Kean originally won it by a little less than three percentage points in 2022. Trump also won the district in 2024, but Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill prevailed there in last year's statewide contest.If Democrats do take back the House of Representatives from Republicans, who hold a 217-to-212 member majority, this election will be a critical "blue wave" bellwether.Historic showdown for New Mexico governorFormer Interior Secretary Deb Haaland sailed to the Democratic nomination for New Mexico governor, setting up what could be a history-making election this fall.The 65-year-old former congressmember would be the first Native American woman to lead a state if she prevails over Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull in November. She has already broken barriers as the first Native American woman elected to Congress in 2018 and the first Indigenous member of the cabinet.Haaland started running almost immediately after leaving the Biden administration in 2025, leaning on her fundraising network and a progressive resume that included being an early supporter of the Green New Deal and "Medicare for All."She pledged at the outset to take on the state's significant problems around crime, addiction and education. A WalletHub study last year, for instance, showed New Mexico ranked last nationwide in math and reading test scores, as well as median SAT scores. Haaland and Hull are likely to tussle over Trump, but also their policy differences on what to do with a boom in tax revenue, thanks largely to surging oil prices caused by the ongoing war with Iran.New Mexico is the country's second-largest oil-producing state after Texas, and state officials estimated earlier this year that the war would inject an additional $850 million into its tax revenue before the budget year ends in June, according to the Associated Press.Contributing: Stephen Gruber-Miller, Brianne Pfannenstiel
