Best’s News & Research Service - June 08, 2022 12:08 PM (EDT)
Lara Declares Victory in California Primary; Second Nominee Too Close to Call
SACRAMENTO, Calif. //BestWire// - Incumbent California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara built up a primary vote total against eight other candidates large enough that he felt comfortable declaring victory with votes still to be counted.
Ricardo LaraLara received 1.2 million votes — 37% of the vote — as of the morning of June 8, well ahead of his challengers, according to the California Department of State.
The vote total will change as officials process vote-by-mail, provisional and other ballots, the department said. Results will be certified July 15.
Republican Robert Howell was in second place, with 17.8% of the vote, it said. He was closely followed by Democratic Assemblyman Marc Levine, with 16.8% and Republican Greg Conlon with 16.5%, it said.
Under California election law, all candidates for voter-nominated offices are listed on one ballot and only the top two vote-getters in the primary election — regardless of party preference — move on to the general election.
None of the other candidates polled more than 4%, according to the partial figures.
Lara said he won by running a positive campaign that focused on his efforts on behalf of consumers during a period of unprecedented wild fires and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I want to thank my supporters for showing up to vote for me in this primary election so that we can continue the important work we’ve done for consumers and to build upon those achievements,” Lara said. “I look forward to meeting with more Californians from across the state to talk about what we’re doing to help wildfire survivors and make insurance accessible to all, no matter what ZIP code you’re from. I’m here to finish the work I started and look forward to earning your vote again in November.”
Lara led all the candidates in funds raised between Jan. 1-May 21 with more than $310,000, having about $232,000 on hand at that date, according to department records.
It was campaign funding that got Lara in trouble early in his term, when it was revealed his campaign accepted funds from individuals with ties to the insurance industry, and it continued to fuel his opponents’ claims they would not repeat his mistake of taking insurance money after promising not to take it (BestWire, June 3, 2022).
Levine hammered Lara for taking campaign donations from insurers, calling his actions “disqualifying” and threatening public faith in the commissioner’s office. Lara also has socialized and held closed-door meetings with industry officials, said Levine, who represents a Bay Area district.
Howell, a self-described “Reagan Republican,” is a Silicon Valley business owner, according to his campaign website.
He too pledged not to take contributions from insurance-related interests.
Howell, it said, is concerned thousands of residents are fleeing the state due to the high cost of living and a broken, unresponsive state bureaucracy.
(By Timothy Darragh, associate editor, BestWeek: Timothy.Darragh@ambest.com)