LOS ANGELES — Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-CA), whose Sacramento-area district was reshaped by California’s voter-approved redistricting overhaul last year, and Richard Pan, known nationally for spearheading the state’s push to eliminate religious exemptions for school vaccine requirements, will square off against each other this November in California’s 6th Congressional District.Kiley waited several days to learn who his opponent would be, but with 92% of the vote now counted, the Associated Press declared that Pan will advance to the runoff later this year. He edged out Republican Michael Stansfield, narrowly avoiding a rare California race that would have boxed out a Democrat. As of Wednesday morning, Kiley has 45,006 votes, good for a share of 24.5%; Pan has 42,587, or 23.2%; while Stansfield has 36,961, or 20.1%.Under California’s jungle primary system, the top two finishers advance to the Nov. 3 runoff if no candidate wins a majority outright.
Kiley, a two-term congressman who represents the 3rd Congressional District, announced in March that he would run as an independent candidate in the 6th District, where he resides, rather than as a Republican in the redrawn 3rd. The 6th District seat lumps conservative suburbs of Sacramento with liberal ones closer to California’s capital city.
