RAFU STAFF REPORT
In statewide elections on June 7, two AAPI incumbents were re-elected while another AAPI candidate finished first in a race for an open seat.
The two top vote-getters in each election will face off in November. Following are the latest results.
Treasurer: Democratic incumbent Fiona Ma had an overwhelming lead, 2,649,290 votes (57.6%), followed by Republican Jack M. Guerrero, a CPA and economist, with 992,570 (21.6%). Republican Andrew Do, a member of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, was third with 808,464 (17.6%) and Peace & Freedom candidate Meghann Adams, a school bus driver, was fourth with 149,319 (3.2%). Before being elected treasurer in 2018, Ma served on the Board of Equalization and in the Assembly.
Attorney General: Democratic incumbent Rob Bonta was in the lead with 2,553,425 (54.7%), followed by Republican Nathan Hochman (858,174, 18.4%), a general counsel; Republican Eric Early (777,885, 16.7%), an attorney and business owner; no-party-preference candidate Anne Marie Schubert (354,579, 7.6%), Sacramento County district attorney; and Green candidate Dan Kapelovitz (125,522, 2.7%), a criminal defense attorney. Bonta, formerly a member of the Assembly, was appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to replace Xavier Becerra, who was named U.S. secretary of health and human services.
Controller: Republican Lanhee Chen, a fiscal advisor and educator, led the field with 1,703,494 (37.0%), followed by Democrat Malia Cohen (1,007,837, 21.9%), chairperson of the Board of Equalization; Democrat Yvonne Yiu (714,812, 15.5%), a chief financial officer; Democratic State Sen. Steve Glazer of Orinda (532,348, 11.6%); Democrat Ron Galperin (483,217, 10.5%), termed-out city controller of Los Angeles; and Green candidate Laura Wells (158,686, 3.4%), a financial analyst. Chen has worked on high-profile political campaigns, including Mitt Romney’s presidential bid in 2012. The current controller is Democrat Betty Yee, who is termed out.
Superintendent of Public Instruction: In this nonpartisan race, incumbent Tony Thurmond finished first with 1,965,773 (46.2%), followed by Bay Area software architect George Yang (483,977, 11.4%); education policy executive Lance Ray Christensen (487,927, 11.5%); public school teacher Ainye E. Long (478,207, 11.2%); South Bay Union School District (San Diego County) Board President Marco Amaral (354,880, 8.3%); cyber security professional Jim Gibson (320,465, 7.5%); and Montessori education publisher Joseph Guy Campbell (165,094, 3.9%).
U.S. Senator: In the race for a full term, Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla had an overwhelming lead with 2,637,682, 54.0%), followed by Republican Mark P. Meuser with 720,072, 14.8%). Among the 21 other candidates, all of whom finished with single-digit percentages or less, was Republican entrepreneur and nonprofit director Sarah Sun Liew of Beverly Hills (57,991, 1.2%). Padilla was appointed by Newsom to replace Kamala Harris, who was elected vice president.