Midterm Roundup: Last minute spending in California

Tuesday's primaries in two California districts are causing some heartburn among Republicans, leading to last minute spending.

In the state's 22nd district, Republican Rep. David Valadao, who once voted to impeach former President Donald Trump, is defending his seat against challenger Chris Mathys.

The Democratic House Majority PAC funded ads boosting Mathys earlier this month, hoping he'll be an easier candidate for the Democratic nominee to beat in November.

However, California has a Top 2 primary system, meaning all candidates compete on the same ballot and the top two vote-getters, regardless of party affiliation, advance to the ballot in November. 

To defend Valadao, the GOP super PAC Congressional Leadership Fund launched an ad attacking Mathys on Friday. 

To date, CLF has spent $312,000 in California’s 22nd district and HMP has spent $203,000, according to AdImpact, an ad-tracking firm.

CLF is also engaged in the 40th District in Southern California to bolster incumbent GOP Rep. Young Kim, whose campaign is also spending on the airwaves. That district presents a similar math problem where multiple GOP candidates could split the Republican vote. 

Elsewhere on the campaign trail

Arizona Senate: The Washington Examiner reports that a new ad from Republican Jim Lamon attacks venture capitalist Blake Masters, who was just endorsed by former President Trump, arguing that in an old writing he “extensively quoted an anti-semite who believes Jews and Zionists are bent on world domination.” 

Nevada Senate: Senate hopeful Adam Laxalt, the state’s former attorney general, released a TV ad featuring Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis ahead of the June 14 primary. 

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FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

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Maryland Governor: A new poll from the Baltimore Sun has State Comptroller Peter Franchot leading the field in the crowded Democratic primary for governor at 20 percent among likely voters, with author and former non-profit leader Wes Moore at 15 percent and former Labor Secretary Tom Perez at 12. Almost a third of those polled were still undecided. 

New York-23: Rep. Chris Jacobs, R-N.Y., announced Friday he would not run for re-election after backing gun control positions following a mass shooting in Buffalo. “If you stray from a party position, you are annihilated,” Jacobs said. Former GOP gubernatorial nominee Carl Paladino announced he’d run for the seat and has the backing of House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik. 

New York-19/New York-23: The special elections to replace former Democratic Rep. Antonio Delgado (now New York’s lieutenant governor) and former GOP Rep. Tom Reed (who resigned to join a lobbying firm) have been set for Aug. 23, the same day as the state’s congressional primaries.

Hawaii-02: EMILY’s List took sides in the open seat race for Hawaii’s 2nd District, backing former Democratic state Sen. Jill Tokuda.

L.A. Mayoral Race: Democratic Rep. Karen Bass and developer Rick Caruso appear to be the candidates most likely to head to a runoff, per a new UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times.