Special Election Results and Primary Contests: Key Takeaways from California, Kentucky, Oregon, and Georgia

State lawmaker Vince Fong wins special election in California, Georgia prosecutor Fani T. Willis triumphs in primary, and progressive candidate in Oregon loses in closely watched race

Vince Fong, a state lawmaker in California and former aide to Kevin McCarthy, emerged victorious in a special election on Tuesday to fill the seat left vacant by McCarthy’s resignation. Fong, representing the most conservative district in the deep-blue state, will serve until January and then face his Republican opponent, Mike Boudreaux, in the fall for a full term.

In other election news, Fani T. Willis, the prosecutor leading the criminal case against former President Donald Trump in Georgia, won her primary in a landslide. Willis, who is prosecuting Trump over his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia, secured 87 percent of the vote, signaling confidence in her performance despite facing criticism for a romantic relationship with a lawyer involved in the case.

On the flip side, a progressive candidate in Oregon, Jamie McLeod-Skinner, suffered defeat in the Democratic primary for the state’s Fifth Congressional District. Janelle Bynum emerged victorious and will now face Representative Lori Chavez-DeRemer in what is expected to be a closely watched House race. Additionally, progressive district attorney Mike Schmidt of Multnomah County, which includes Portland, faced a tough challenge from his own prosecutor, Nathan Vasquez, who criticized Schmidt’s handling of crime and drugs in the city.

Overall, the primary contests in Georgia, Oregon, Kentucky, and Idaho showcased a mix of victories and setbacks for candidates across the political spectrum, setting the stage for heated battles in the upcoming general elections.