California Democratic supremacy tested by crime, inflation

By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
AP Political Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) — With rising crime fears, a homelessness crisis and soaring prices, Republicans hope California’s troubles will help create a pathway for some rare wins in the heavily Democratic state. Mail-in ballots are going out for the June 7 primary that will set the stage for November runoffs. The Republican Party is largely irrelevant in California, and the GOP could only field little-known candidates for governor and U.S. Senate. Many voters are disappointed in President Joe Biden, and the party in the White House typically loses congressional seats in midterm elections. But any GOP upsets would be isolated. Democratic voters outnumber Republicans by nearly 2-to-1 statewide.