Now that the Associated Press has declared the top two winners of the Lieutenant Governor’s primary election, it’s time to take a look at the dynamics of the contest.
Results
According to the Secretary of State’s website, State Treasurer Fiona Ma leads with 1,616,298 votes (19.1 percent). In second place is Republican Gloria Romero withm1,511,200 votes (17.9 percent). Democrats Josh Fryday, Michael Tubbs, and Oliver Ma trail. Ma is running strong statewide, finishing first in the bulk of coastal counties where Democrats hold registration advantage as well as Mono and Imperial counties.
The Campaign
Ma leads because she ran a positive, nuts-and-bolts campaign boosted by key endorsements from the California Labor Federation, California Professional Firefighters Association, California Nurses Association and a constellation of more than 200 other labor, community, women’s and community groups. This strong base helped her win twice as many endorsement votes than all of her Democratic opponents combined at the California Democratic Party convention — momentum she never lost. Polls showed her as the frontrunner throughout the year.
Ma’s campaign also was lifted with endorsements of newspapers ranging from the Bay Area News Group to the Bakersfield Californian, as well as more than three quarters of the state’s Democratic legislators.
The state treasurer ran an issues-focused, positive race. She traveled to the state’s 58 counties emphasizing her problem-solving record on housing, affordability and fiscal management. TV and digital spots aired statewide during the final weeks of the campaign featuring Ma’s record, being the daughter of immigrant parents and opposition to the Trump agenda.
Finances
Ma overcame several obstacles in the race, including defeating a candidate endorsed and featured in advertisements by Governor Newsom. In addition, she beat back a sizable negative campaign from LA author and podcaster Steve Phillips, repeated right wing media attacks, as well as massive independent expenditure efforts launched by the California Donors Table and another by major Silicon Valley contributors.
In total, opponent Tubbs was supported by $5.7 million in IE’s (Friends of Tubbs $5.6 million plus paid support from the California Working Families Party and Courage Campaign). Candidate Josh Fryday was buoyed by $1.35 million in IEs (TGIF Josh Fryday for LG, $150,000 from CTA and $100,000). In comparison, Ma was backed by just $107,222 in IE support.
The Campaign Ahead
Ma will easily consolidate the Democratic vote and continue touting her record, which appeals to the broad electorate. Her opponent, a Democrat-turned Republican, is attached to the hip of the Trump supported GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton as part of the “Golden Ticket.” She has limited crossover appeal because of her extreme positions. There is no doubt that Fiona Ma is the prohibitive favorite to be California’s next Lieutenant Governor.
For more information, visit FionaMa.com.