Voters decide key primaries and recall elections in California, other states: LIVE UPDATES
Liberal policies on crime, homelessness and COVID are on the ballot in California, as states including Montana, Iowa, New Jersey and more decide primary races before the midterms.
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Progressive San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin arrived at his election night event earlier in the evening surrounded by chanting supporters despite his recall election loss.
"This is a movement, not a moment in history," the defeated Boudin went on to tell the crowd. "The coalition that we built… it is broad, it is diverse, it is strong. And it is a coalition that is deeply committed to justice."
Fox News' Jon Michael Raasch and Thomas Phippen contributed to this report.
Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascon speaks at a press conference, December 8, 2021 in Los Angeles. (Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP)
Organizers behind the drive to recall Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón Tuesday said Chesa Boudin's ouster as San Francisco Disctict Attorney proves their effort has a serious chance of success, as Americans balk as progressive prosecutors' policies.
"Tonight showed that voters from every community and every walk of life, regardless of political ideology, are rejecting pro-criminal policies that are masked as criminal justice reform," the Recall Gascón Campaign said in a statement.
"George Gascón and Chesa Boudin’s failed social experiments have destroyed communities while doing nothing to meaningfully reform the system," the statement continued. "If LA County voters sign and return their recall petitions, Gascón will be walking the same plank in the near future"
Boudin and Gascón both face similar accusations that they are not hard enough on lawbreakers, amid high crime rates in their cities.
Fox News' Lorraine Taylor and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
LiveNOW from FOX -- Chesa Boudin appears emotional as returns indicate he will be recalled as San Francisco's district attorney.
Chesa Boudin appears emotional as returns indicate he will be recalled as San Francisco's district attorney.
After news of his loss, Boudin said at an election-night watch party that his push for progressive policies in criminal justice and prison reform was not over.
"This is a movement, not a moment in history," Boudin said. "The coalition that we built… it is broad, it is diverse, it is strong. And it is a coalition that is deeply committed to justice," he added.
Boudin blamed his loss on corporate interests who outspent him "three to one" as he fought against the recall effort.
He also said he grew up in two worlds — one where he had every opportunity, and another in which he was "shackled to an existence to an existence mired in degradation and humiliation, one known to far too many Americans because of our addiction to caging human beings."
Fox News' Thomas Phippen contributed to this report.
A crowd of supporters is gathering at Los Angeles' The Grove waiting on mayoral candidate Rick Caruso to take the stage. (Matt Leach/Fox News Digital)
Businessman Rick Caruso and Democrat Rep. Karen Bass have advanced to the November general election in the race to be the next mayor of Los Angeles.
A crowd of supporters is building at Los Angeles' The Grove, waiting for Caruso to speak.
Fox News' Matt Leach contributed to this report.
Republican California state Senator Brian Dahle has advanced to the November general election and will face off against Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is seeking a second term leading the Golden State.
Dahle came out on top of a crowded field of more than 20 candidates seeking to oust Newsom.
The Associated Press called the race.
San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin was recalled Tuesday night, as the progressive prosecutor became a victim of increased voter concerns about crime ahead of the 2022 midterms.
Boudin faced an onslaught of criticism over his progressive criminal justice policies as those supporting his recall pointed to an increased murder rate, violent crime, shoplifting, burglaries, and an open-air drug trade as reasons to vote for his removal from office.
Boudin's supporters praised him for keeping his promises of eliminating cash bail, not prosecuting quality-of-life crimes and putting fewer people behind bars. But now San Francisco Mayor London Breed will be foreced to pick his replacement.
To read more from Fox News Brandon Gillespie, click here.
Chesa Boudin pauses during his speech at an election night event in 2019. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
San Francisco voters Tuesday voted to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin, amid concerns about high crime levels many attributed to lax criminal enforcement policies by the progressive prosecutor.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed will be responsible for selecting Boudin's replacement.
Boudin, who was raised by Weather Underground's Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, was supported in his 2019 election by notable national progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Boudin's election came at a time that was considered a high-water mark for the progressive prosecutor movement, with liberal financier George Soros backing similar left-wing candidates across the country. His recall may now mark a significant blow for the movement, as voters express worries about law and order and safety in public.
The district attorney, who previously worked for Hugo Chavez, campaigned on allowing "immigration-safe" plea deals to prevent the deportation of illegal immigrants, requiring prosecutors to write a "racial impact statement" in each case they pursue and ending policies that increase the sentences for crimes committed by gang members.
Concerns over rising crime are playing an outsized role in key primary showdowns in the nation’s most populous state Tuesday night.
In municipal contests in the overwhelmingly blue cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, and in a statewide primary for California attorney general, a chorus of calls for law-and-order policies and plans to deal the increase in homelessness are running up against the state’s push in recent years for criminal justice reform.
Also in the spotlight are two House Republicans in California who face potentially challenging re-elections in November’s midterm elections face their first electoral hurdles in Tuesday’s primaries, where all the candidates regardless of party identification are listed on the same ballot and the top two finishers move on to the general election.
In Los Angeles, Rick Caruso, a Republican-turned-Democrat pro-business billionaire developer who’s running a tough-on-crime type campaign is considered one of the co-front runners in a crowded field of candidates, along with longtime Democratic Rep. Karen Bass, in the race to succeed term-limited Mayor Eric Garcetti, whose nomination by President Biden to serve as U.S. ambassador to India is currently stalled.
To read more from Fox News' Paul Steinhauser, click here.
Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., will advance to a special election in November for the Senate seat he currently holds.
Democrat California Gov. Gavin Newsom has easily advanced to the general election in his bid for a second term, the Associated Press projects.
He will face the candidate with the second most votes in the primary, regardless of party.
Newsom survived a recall challenge last year and is expected to easily win reelection in the largely Democratic state.
San Francisco DA Chesa Boudin is facing a recall election Tuesday after taking office in January 2020. (Yalonda M. James/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Polls closed for California primary and recall election voters at 11 p.m. ET Tuesday, with San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin's recall election headlining a list of major races in the Golden State.
The Democrat Boudin was backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and other high-profile progressives when he was first elected in 2019. But amid complaints about crime rates and his allegedly too lax enforcement style, Boudin was forced into a recall race Tuesday.
If he loses, it could be a major blow for the progressive prosecutor movement that just a few years ago appeared to have massive nationwide momentum.
"The effort to recall me from office, backed by wealthy Trump donors and ‘tech bros,’ is all part of a Republican playbook to end criminal justice reform and send us back to a time of mass incarceration and police impunity," Boudin said in a recent fundraising email.
Voters will vote either "yes" or "no" on the effort to recall Boudin. If he is recalled, Democrat Mayor London Breed will select his replacement.
Also in California, Rep. Young Kim, R-Calif., who's backed by the GOP establishment, is trying to fend off a primary challenge from the right in the form of Greg Raths. Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., is also in a close primary race.
Fox News' Brandon Gillespie contributed to this report.
Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., with the Problem Solvers Caucus and other members, speaks at a news conference on the forthcoming passage of the bipartisan emergency COVID-19 relief bill in Washington, D.C., Dec. 21, 2020. (REUTERS/Ken Cedeno) (REUTERS/Ken Cedeno)
Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., will win his primary race against far-right opponent Taffy Howard, the Associated Press projects.
Johnson is one of the Republicans who voted to create a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of former President Donald Trump's supporters and is generally considered one of the more moderate House Republicans.
“This victory makes one thing clear: South Dakota Republicans decide their elections, not out-of-state interest groups," Johnson said. "South Dakotans want a principled conservative that gets things done — and that’s what I deliver. I’m honored to have South Dakota’s support."
Johnson added: "Nearly a million dollars was dumped into this race in the last two weeks — but nothing beats old-fashioned grassroots efforts."
Fox News' Andrew Murrary contributed to this report.
Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., will be forced into a runoff in his reelection bid, the Associated Press projected Tuesday.
His primary rivals, Mike Ezell and Clay Wagner, are running neck-and-neck with more than 90% of votes counted.
The loss by former Rep. Abby Finkenauer, D-Iowa, in her U.S. Senate primary in Iowa is also a loss for some major national Democratic groups that backed her canddiacy.
She was supported by such national progressive groups as EMILY’s List and the League of Conservation Voters. But Democratic primary winner veteran Michael Franken racked up local endorsements that powered him to victory.
To read more from Fox News' Paul Steinhauser and Thomas Phippen, click here.
Iowa State Senator Zach Nunn
Zach Nunn has defeated Nicole Hasso to secure the Republican nomination for U.S. House in Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District, the Associated Press projects.
Hasso was heavily backed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who traveled to Iowa to campaign with her last year.
Nunn will now face endangered Democrat Rep. Cindy Axne in the general election.
Navy veteran Michael Franken will win the Iowa Democratic Senate primary, the Associated Press projects, setting up a showdown with Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, in the fall.
Franken beat state legislator Abby Finkenauer.
Rob Menendez, the son of Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., will win his Democratic primary for New Jersey's 8th Congressional District, the Associated Press projects.
The younger Menendez is likely to win his general election race in the deep-blue district.
Polls closed for primary voters in Montana at 10 p.m. ET, with former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke aiming to win a GOP primary in the state.
Zinke is running for an open seat in Montana's 1st Congressional District. The state previously only had one member of Congress but gained a House seat after the 2020 Census. Zinke's opponents include former state lawmaker Al Olszewski and business owner Mary Todd.
Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., will easily win his primary against far-right challenger Mike Crispi, the Associated Press projects.
Smith was criticized by Trump after his vote to create a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters. Crispi, for his part, was endorsed by Trump ally Mike Flynn. But Smith will likely go on to easily win the general election in New Jersey's deep red 4th Congressional district.
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, will win his GOP primary to keep his Senate seat, the Associated Press projected Tuesday. Grassley now awaits his challenger in what may be a competitive Senate race.
The Democrats vying to take on Grassley are state lawmaker Abby Finkenauer and Navy veteran Mike Franken.
Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., survived a challenge from far-left Democrat Imani Oakley.
The Associated Press called the race.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks during the Conservative Political Action Conference CPAC held at the Hilton Anatole on July 11, 2021 in Dallas, Texas. ( Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem both will win their primaries for reelection, the Associated Press projected Tuesday.
Former President Donald Trump previously called for Noem to primary Thune, who is a close ally of Trump nemisis Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Noem, however, declined, and is now on her way a smooth reelection in deep red South Dakota.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., will easily win his primary for reelection Tuesday night, the Associated Press projects.
Thompson is the chairman of the Jan. 6 Committee, which is set to begin a series of primetime hearings this Thursday on the causes of the 2021 attack on the Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters.
Polls closed at 9 p.m. ET for voters in Iowa and New Mexico, as voters decide key primary races ahead of the midterms.
In Iowa, Democrats Abby Finkenauer and Michael Franken are battling for the chance to challenge Sen. Chuck Grassley in November.
In New Mexico, Republicans Mark Ronchetti, Rebecca Dow and Jay Block are vying to win their party's nomination for governor. Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is running uncontested.
Chesa Boudin pauses during his speech at an election night event in 2019. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
A group of young, politically active San Franciscans are rallying behind embattled District Attorney Chesa Boudin as he faces a tough recall election on Tuesday centered on his handling of rising crime across the city.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Joy Zhan, co-president of the San Francisco Young Democrats, emphasized the support her organization was providing the progressive DA, including standing with the criminal justice reforms implemented during his term, and called on voters to reject the recall effort that she said was being bankrolled by Republicans.
"The San Francisco Young Democrats were very happy to endorse ‘No' on Proposition H and support District Attorney Boudin," Zhan said, before going on to celebrate Boudin's work as a "criminal justice reform advocate."
To read more from Fox News' Brandon Gillespie, click here.
Endangered Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., easily won the Democratic nomination for U.S. House in New Jersey's 7th Congressional District.
The race was called by the Associated Press shortly after polls closed.
He will now face the winner of the yet-to-be-called Republican primary in what is expected to be a tough reelection bid.
Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., campaigns with Gov. Kristi Noem. (Dusty Johsnon)
Polls are now closed for primary voters in New Jersey, South Dakota and Mississippi.
Republicans Tuesday will pick their nominee to face endangered Democrat Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J. Meanwhile, Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., is seeking to fend off a primary challenge from the left.
In South Dakota, Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., faces a primary challenge from state lawmaker Taffy Howard -- but he's backed by Gov. Kristi Noem.
Two-term Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski of New Jersey faces a very difficult re-election this year.
It’s not just that Democrats nationwide are facing historical headwinds — as the party that wins the White House traditionally loses roughly 25 House seats in the ensuing midterm elections — and a very rough political climate dominated by skyrocketing inflation and capsulized by President Biden’s negative approval ratings.
Malinowski, who in 2018 became the first Democrat four decades to win election in New Jersey’s traditionally red 7th Congressional District and who won reelection in 2020 by a razor-thin margin, is seeking a third term in a district redrawn to be more Republican-friendly though the once-in-a-decade redistricting process.
Facing a challenging path ahead, Malinowski may get some help following an announcement Tuesday by a group of New Jersey Democrats, Republicans and independents to create a third party named the Moderate Party.
To read more from Fox News' Paul Steinhauser, click here.
Republican candidate for California attorney general Nathan Hochman, right, in 2017 in Los Angeles. (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)
The candidates aiming to become California's next attorney general are homing in on the state's rising crime rate, as well as its issues with drugs and homelessness, to shine light on why they say current Democratic attorney general Rob Bonta doesn't deserve to be elected to a full term.
Bonta was appointed by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last year to replace Xavier Becerra, who stepped down to become President Biden's Secretary of Health and Human Services, and is facing three challengers from the right, including former assistant U.S. Attorney General Nathan Hochman, a Republican, attorney Eric Early, also a Republican, and Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert, an independent.
The four candidates will face off in Tuesday's statewide primary, and the top two candidates, regardless of party, will advance to the general election in November.
To read more from Fox News' Brandon Gillespie, click here.
Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski of New Jersey speaks during a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on September 16, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Stefani Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images) (Stefani Reynolds-Pool/Getty Images)
Two-term Democratic Rep. Tom Malinowski of New Jersey faces a very difficult re-election this year.
It’s not just that Democrats nationwide are facing historical headwinds — as the party that wins the White House traditionally loses roughly 25 House seats in the ensuing midterm elections — and a very rough political climate dominated by skyrocketing inflation and capsulized by President Biden’s negative approval ratings.
Malinowski, who in 2018 became the first Democrat four decades to win election in New Jersey’s traditionally red 7th Congressional District and who won reelection in 2020 by a razor-thin margin, is seeking a third term in a district redrawn to be more Republican-friendly though the once-in-a-decade redistricting process.
To read more from Fox News' Paul Steinhauser, click here.
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