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Republican Carl DeMaio has a commanding lead in early returns Tuesday.
Democrat Kevin Juza sits in second place in the race for Assembly District 75. He said he's confident he'll face DeMaio in November.
"The voters have spoken that they want an option for Assembly District 75 where they want to have a choice between two parties instead of a race of the same party," Juza said.
Republican Andrew Hayes is in third place.
"I'm somebody who wants to be a problem solver, not just scream loudly and get nothing accomplished," Hayes said.
The primary contest for Assembly District 75 had six candidates — three Republicans and three Democrats.
DeMaio is a familiar name to many San Diego voters. He served on the San Diego City Council from 2008 to 2012. He subsequently ran unsuccessful campaigns for San Diego Mayor and multiple Congressional seats. He’s currently chair of the advocacy group Reform California and hosts a local talk radio show.
"The voters of the 75th (District) want a fighter for them who will take on the issues that that are hurting working families — the high cost of living, inflation, soaring crime, record number of homeless people, failing schools," DeMaio said in an interview with KPBS. "There's a hunger for fundamental change and I think a lot of people realize that California's political system is broken and that both parties are to blame."
Juza previously ran for Poway Unified School Board in 2018 and Poway City Council in 2022. He has the backing of the state Democratic Party.
Hayes is president of the Lakeside Union School District Board and has also served as the district director for State Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones. He earned endorsements from the state and county Republican parties.
Why it matters
Assembly District 75 is an expansive district that covers most of eastern San Diego County, including a 50-mile stretch of the southern border west of Jacumba Hot Springs. Immigration and border security emerged as key issues in the race.
DeMaio and Hayes were the frontrunners heading into Election Day, based on fundraising and name recognition.
Both said they want to clamp down on the flow of immigrants coming across the border. DeMaio went as far as to proclaim former Gov. Pete Wilson “was right” for supporting Proposition 187. The controversial 1994 ballot measure aimed to deny public services to undocumented immigrants. The courts later struck it down. Hayes has blamed the uptick in immigration for bringing crime into East County neighborhoods.
Based on previous election results, the 75th District is a reliably Republican district but DeMaio has been running ads and even setting up a website to boost Juza. It's an old political tactic. If DeMaio can get enough people to vote for Juza, Hayes may come in third place in the primary.
When asked about his campaign's efforts to highlight Democrat Kevin Juza, DeMaio said: "It is a safe Republican seat. Dragging a Democrat into the runoff is exactly the best strategy and my supporters expect me to run a strategic campaign."
For DeMaio, facing off against a Democrat in the general election means a much easier path to victory since he’ll be the clear choice for Republican voters.
By the numbers
Hayes and DeMaio far outpaced their primary opponents when it came to fundraising. DeMaio raised more than $1.3 million, while Hayes brought in more than $650,000.
Closer look
Democrats enjoy a huge majority in the state Legislature, and their dominance is all but guaranteed to continue after the general election in November. That means bold items on DeMaio and Hayes’ Republican wish list likely won’t get far in the Capitol.
But there may be room for compromise on some pressing issues facing Californians.
Last year, Democrats and Republicans found some common ground on increasing punishment for certain fentanyl dealers, and more bipartisan legislation may follow. And a legislative package released in recent weeks from Democrats aims to address retail theft, an issue on the minds of many voters and a recurring talking point for Republicans.
However, the legislation would not make changes to Proposition 47, the measure passed by California voters in 2014 that eased penalties for certain drug and property crimes. DeMaio and Hayes have called for repealing Prop. 47, which is likely a non-starter for Democratic lawmakers.
