Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass attends her election night watch party in Los Angeles, June 2, 2026. | Spencer Pratt appears on “Fox & Friends” on May 28, 2026, in New York. Daniel Cole/Reuters | Andy Kropa/Invision via AP Photo
The outcomes of House, governor, and mayoral primary contests in six states on Tuesday evening revealed encouraging indications for incumbents, the Democratic establishment, and highlighted the potential limitations of an endorsement from President Donald Trump.
Additionally, they provided a glimpse into the nature of a critical swing race, significantly impacted by a congressman’s absence, which is anticipated in the November midterms.
Here are some key observations from the June 2 primaries.
Karen Bass becomes the first LA mayor in over two decades to face a runoff
In the keenly observed nonpartisan mayoral primary in Los Angeles, the embattled incumbent Mayor Karen Bass has cause for optimism following months of ambiguity, while reality star Spencer Pratt must continue to wait, despite a seemingly strong performance. ABC News projected on Tuesday that Bass will proceed to a November runoff, giving her an opportunity to retain her position.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass attends her election night watch party in Los Angeles, June 2, 2026. | Spencer Pratt appears on “Fox & Friends” on May 28, 2026, in New York.Daniel Cole/Reuters | Andy Kropa/Invision via AP Photo
Bass, who is the first woman and second African American to hold the city’s highest office, is the first Los Angeles mayor in more than twenty years to be compelled into a runoff election.
Bass centered her re-election campaign on highlighting her previous experience and accomplishments in the role, but she encountered scrutiny regarding her tenure and faced criticism for her management of the Los Angeles wildfires last year. Bass, who was abroad in Ghana on a scheduled diplomatic mission when the Palisades Fire initially broke out, has refuted the criticisms of her fire management, stating earlier this year that her priority “is on the lives and on the homes.”
The critiques leveled against Bass provided an opportunity for Spencer Pratt, formerly of “The Hills” reality fame, who conducted a campaign focused on denouncing Bass’s handling of the fires and asserting he would revitalize a city he believed had deteriorated.
It remains uncertain whether Pratt will advance to the subsequent round alongside Bass, or if progressive city council member Nithya Raman will ultimately secure a spot in the runoff. As of Wednesday morning, Pratt holds the second position and is ahead of Raman by approximately 8 percentage points, with an estimated 40% of the votes yet to be tallied.
Pratt’s current second-place standing, which could change, may be interpreted by some as a limitation on the appeal of celebrity candidates. Conversely, it could also be viewed as an indicator of the effectiveness of Pratt’s campaign, which presented a clear message and extended beyond mere name recognition.
In the state’s most significant race for governor, it is still too early to determine which candidates will progress in the top-two primary, as numerous mail-in ballots are still pending verification.
California Republican Gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton speaks to supporters at his primary night event on June 2, 2026, in Huntington Beach, Calif. | California gubernatorial candidate Xavier Becerra speaks during an election night event on June 2, 2026, in Los Angeles.Mario Tama/Getty Images | Jae C. Hong/AP Photo
As of Wednesday morning, Republican Steve Hilton, who received Trump’s endorsement, and former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, have garnered the most votes. Billionaire entrepreneur Tom Steyer, a Democratic contender who invested tens of millions in the campaign, is trailing behind them.
In Iowa, a setback for Trump’s gubernatorial primary candidate and a potential victory for the Democratic establishment
The crucial endorsements from Trump during the 2026 election cycle have typically resulted in triumphs for his favored contenders, including the recent primary in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District where a challenger backed by Trump defeated the maverick GOP Rep. Thomas Massie.
However, a prominent candidate in Iowa who had Trump’s support conceded defeat in his primary race.
Republican gubernatorial candidate, U.S. Rep Randy Feenstra speaks to guests during a campaign event at the Silo City farm on May 30, 2026, near Sioux Rapids, Iowa.Scott Olson/Getty Images
Republican Representative Randy Feenstra, who currently represents Iowa’s 4th Congressional District and was seeking the governorship statewide, conceded late Tuesday to GOP rival Zach Lahn, a proponent of the “Make America Healthy Again” movement, in the Iowa gubernatorial primary.
As of Wednesday morning, he was trailing Lahn by approximately 1 percentage point.
Zach Lahn, Republican candidate for Iowa governor, speaks during a campaign event on May 28, 2026, in Newton, Iowa.Erin Murphy/The Gazette via AP
Lahn will contend with Iowa state auditor Rob Sand, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary, in November. Democrats have lauded Sand as a candidate capable of flipping the governorship by appealing to a broad range of voters, although he faces a challenging path in a state that favored Trump by 13 points in 2024.
Meanwhile, Iowa state Rep. Josh Turek’s anticipated victory by over 20 percentage points in the Iowa Democratic primary for Senate could be viewed as a success for mainstream Democrats, in a year where progressive challengers have been making an impact in primaries nationwide and occasionally unseating incumbents.
Turek himself is not a typical politician. He boasts a distinctive background, having competed as a four-time Paralympian, born with spina bifida following his father’s exposure to Agent Orange during his service in Vietnam. However, he was also, to some extent, perceived as the Democratic establishment’s preferred choice, having received backing from Democratic organizations aligned with Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who did not officially endorse Turek, and adopting stances that leaned toward the center.
Turek is set to face Trump-backed Rep. Ashley Hinson, the projected winner of the Republican primary, in what is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched Senate contests of 2026. The seat is becoming available due to the retirement of Republican incumbent Sen. Joni Ernst.
Key New Jersey matchup is set amid Kean’s absence
ABC News has projected that Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, will secure the Democratic nomination for Congress in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated contest against incumbent GOP Rep. Tom Kean in November, particularly given Kean’s prolonged and unusual absence from Congress for several months. Trump has expressed support for Kean despite his absence.
New Jersey’s 7th District was already a primary target for Democrats this year even before Kean’s disappearance. The district is classified as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report, and Trump narrowly carried it in 2024.
Kean reclaimed the seat for Republicans in 2022, just a few years after Democrat Tom Malinowski had won it for the Democrats in 2018. However, Kean has been absent from Congress for months, having last cast a vote on March 5. For weeks, Kean’s office has defended the congressman’s hiatus, informing reporters that he is addressing an unspecified medical condition.
Kean stated in a press release on Tuesday afternoon, “I am optimistic about the road ahead, and ready to earn the support of voters in every corner of this district.” A representative for Kean also informed ABC News that the congressman submitted his vote by mail last week.
ABC News reporters Emily Chang, Clarissa Gonzalez, Juhi Doshi, Gaby Vinick, Lauren Peller, John Parkinson, and Jay O’Brien contributed to this report.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com