Two more California races called — and Republicans are on the ballot

Two California Republicans have advanced to the general election in congressional races where some feared GOP candidates could be shut out under the state’s top-two primary system.

Republicans Chuong Vo and Ritesh Tandon secured spots on the November ballot and will challenge incumbent Democrats in California’s respective 45th and 17th Congressional Districts.

In the 17th District, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna dominated the primary field in the heavily Democratic Silicon Valley-based district.

With roughly 82% of ballots counted, Khanna captured 61,338 votes, or more than 60% of the vote, while Tandon finished second with 15,539 votes to advance to the general election.

The Cook Political Report rates California’s 17th Congressional District as Solid Democratic. The district spans parts of Santa Clara and Alameda counties in Silicon Valley. The last Republican to represent the area was Charles Pashayan in 1979, nearly five decades ago.

Meanwhile, in California’s 45th Congressional District, incumbent Democratic Rep. Derek Tran finished first with 71,454 votes, or 52.3%, while Republican challenger Chuong Vo secured second place with 21,408 votes, or 15.7%.

Before the primary, the Cook Political Report rated the 45th District as Lean Democratic, though the race remains one of the more competitive congressional contests in California.

The district, which Katie Porter flipped from Republican to Democratic in 2018, later swung back when Republican Michelle Steel won the seat in 2020. In the 2024 election,Tran defeated incumbent Steel, marking another shift in control.

Following the 2020 redistricting process, the district includes a large Asian American electorate and covers portions of Garden Grove, Westminster, Cerritos, Buena Park, Fountain Valley, Cypress, Placentia, Artesia, La Palma and northern Fullerton.

The advancement of both Republican candidates ensures that voters in each district will see a Democrat-versus-Republican matchup on the November 5 general election ballot.

California uses a top-two primary system, often referred to as a “jungle primary,” in which all candidates appear on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation.

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