Battle for House seat formerly held by Kevin McCarthy reaches key phase Tuesday
The process of choosing a replacement for the seat once held by ousted House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California enters a new stage this week, when a primary for candidates seeking to complete the remainder of the former lawmaker's term takes place on Tuesday, as the Associated Press reports.
The contest comes on the heels of a primary that was held for the purposes of narrowing candidates for a full congressional term to begin in January 2025.
Crowded Tuesday field
As the AP notes, nine candidates will appear on Tuesday's ballot, with hopefuls from both parties appearing together.
If the top vote-getter secures over 50% of the total vote tally, he or she will secure the seat for the rest of McCarthy's term.
However, if none of the candidates reach that threshold, the top two vote-takers move on to a runoff contest scheduled for May 21.
Complicated landscape
A total of four Republicans are vying in Tuesday's contest, with Assemblyman Vince Fond and Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux the current front-runners.
Fong has the support of McCarthy and of former President Donald Trump, while Boudreaux is a local favorite, according to the AP.
No matter the outcome on Tuesday, McCarthy's former district will assuredly be represented by a Republican for the next full term, given that both Fong and Boudreaux secured advancement to the general election by getting the top vote tallies in the primary.
The staggered elections have been a source of consternation for some observers, with Fresno State political science professor Tom Holyoke telling KVPR, “Because it's so confusing, I imagine turnout will be exceptionally low” on Tuesday.
Fong ascendant
As of now, it appears that Boudreaux may have an uphill climb to catch Fong, who holds 41% of the vote thus far, a 16-point lead over the sheriff.
Holyoke observed of the top two, “I think what we're going to see is both candidates trending toward the right, each trying to argue that they are more conservative than the other and very possibly more supportive and loyal to Donald Trump than the other.”
Fong, for his part, appears optimistic, saying, “I look forward to continuing this momentum through the March 19th special election and all the way to November,” but whether that confidence is well-placed, only time will tell.
