Editor’s note: This story is one in a series on the June 2 primary election. For more coverage, visit vcstar.com/news/elections.
Democrat Jacqui Irwin and Republican Sam Gallucci appear headed for a run-off in November for the U.S. House of Representatives seat that covers most of Ventura County, according to early returns from the June 2 primary.
The first results for the primary were released shortly before 9 p.m., almost an hour after the polls closed. They showed Irwin, a State Assembly member from Thousand Oaks, in first with 42.7% of the vote, followed by Gallucci, a nonprofit leader and pastor from Oxnard, in second with 21.1%.
In California’s “jungle primary” system, the top two finishers in the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their political parties.
Irwin and Gallucci were followed by Republican Michael Koslow at 10.1%, Republican William Scott at 8.9% and Democrat Chris Espinosa at 8.2%. The other candidates – Democrats Liam Hernandez, Sonia Kacker and Sasan Samadzadeh and Republican Daniel Miller – were all below 5%.
The first results released on June 2 include absentee ballots that were submitted in advance of the election. County election officials plan to release more results later in the evening that include ballots cast in person at polling places on Election Day. Absentee ballots that were turned in on or shortly before Election Day or were mailed close to Election Day will be counted in the coming days and weeks, and the Ventura County Elections Division will release updated vote totals.
What to know about 26th District race
California’s 26th Congressional District covers all of Ventura County except for the cities of Ventura and Simi Valley and most of the Ojai Valley. Starting with this election, due to the redistricting measure passed last year by California voters, it also extends into Los Angeles County to the outskirts of Lancaster and Palmdale.
No matter how the primary and general election turn out, the district will have a new representative in Congress. Since 2013, it has been represented by Democrat Julia Brownley, but she is retiring when her current term expires.
Her retirement brought nine candidates into the race: five Democrats and four Republicans. Brownley endorsed Irwin, a former member of the Thousand Oaks City Council and a Democratic member of the California State Assembly since 2014.
Irwin led all candidates in fundraising in the primary, by raising more than $550,000, according to the campaign finance tracking website OpenSecrets.org. Gallucci had the second best primary campaign in fundraising terms, bringing in $182,000.
Tony Biasotti is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tbiasotti@vcstar.com. This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation’s Fund to Support Local Journalism.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Irwin, Gallucci lead in 26th Congressional District primary
Reporting by Tony Biasotti, Ventura County Star / Ventura County Star
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