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Here’s what we know about California 2022 election results

Voters fill out ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
Jamie Jiang
/
NSPR
Voters fill out ballots on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

California voters were asked to make the call on a number of key offices in the 2022 midterm elections. Here's a look at what we know about results in some of the major races in the state as of Tuesday night.

Results for most races may not be finalized for several days as mail-in ballots continue to arrive in county elections offices for processing.

CapRadio and NPR rely on the Associated Press for race calls. Here is information about how the process works and what to expect with results in the coming days.

See the full California election results here, and learn more about state propositions results here.

Statewide offices

Governor

Gavin Newsom will get another term as governor of California after winning re-election Tuesdaynight, according to a race call from the Associated Press.

Newsom led Republican challenger Brian Dahle, a state senator from rural Northern California, 60-40% Tuesday night. The AP called the race just after polls closed. After defeating a recall election in 2021, Newsom was in a comfortable position this cycle. He spent much of this fall’s campaign season stumping for other Democratic candidates and causes, including a ballot proposition to add the right to an abortion to California’s constitution.

U.S. Senate

Alex Padilla (D) has won his first full term to the U.S. Senate according to a race call from the Associated Press after he was appointed to fill the seat vacated by Vice President Kamala Harris. He was being challenged by attorney Mark Meuser (R). Padilla is actually on the ballot twice, once to finish the remainder of Harris' term, and once for his first full term. The AP has called both races for Padilla.

Attorney General

Incumbent Rob Bonta (D) led challenger Nathan Hochman (R) Tuesday night, 62-38% with 28% of the expected vote in, according to the AP.

Bonta was appointed to the position by Newsom in early 2021. He replaced Xavier Becerra, who was appointed to a cabinet position in the Biden administration. Hochman is a former federal prosecutor who has not previously held public office.

Controller

Democrat Malia Cohen was leading Republican Lanhee Chen 57-43% with around 28% of the expected vote in, according to the AP.

Cohen currently sits on the California Board of Equalization. She is also a former San Francisco Supervisor. Chen, a Stanford University professor who received endorsements from former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang and editorial boards including the Los Angeles Times and San Francisco Chronicle, is seen as a possibility to be the first Republican to hold statewide office in California since 2006.

Nicole covers politics and government for CapRadio. Before moving to California, she won several awards, including a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, for her political reporting in her hometown of Salt Lake City. Besides public radio, Nicole is passionate about beautiful landscapes and breakfast burritos.
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