Republicans chase breakthroughs in multiple state primary elections

California's crowded gubernatorial primary includes a candidate whose name may cause voters to take a second look: Barack D. Obama Shaw.

Shaw, who is running on the Democratic ticket, appears on the ballot alongside dozens of other candidates seeking California's governorship.

According to his campaign website, Shaw was born Cecil L. Shaw III before legally changing his name in 2013 after being inspired by former President Barack Obama.

"President Barack Obama brought a hope into the world that I had never seen or experienced before," Shaw wrote, adding that the experience motivated him to adopt his current name.

Shaw's campaign centers on a message of unity, with the candidate describing himself as a unifier and urging Californians of all political backgrounds to work together.

"Why fight when we can unite and make things right?" Shaw asks on his campaign website.

Beyond his unusual name, Shaw cites his experience as an Army Reservist, music instructor and former candidate for mayor of Alameda. He says his goal is to bring "harmony and confidence" to California while encouraging voters to move beyond partisan divisions.

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is throwing his support behind Spencer Pratt in the Los Angeles mayoral race.

In a post on X, Blagojevich shared a throwback photo featuring himself, Pratt and Heidi Montag from 2003 while offering his endorsement of the reality television personality's campaign.

"Best of luck to the people of L.A. Hope they choose a new Mayor. Rooting for the guy on my right," Blagojevich wrote.

The post comes as Pratt has ramped up his campaign messaging in recent days, positioning himself as an alternative to incumbent Mayor Karen Bass and other challengers in the race.

New Mexico voters are selecting Democratic and Republican nominees for governor Tuesday in a race that will determine who succeeds term-limited Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

According to the Associated Press, the primary is taking place as New Mexico finds itself in an unusual position: state leaders continue to face pressure over issues such as crime and education, while a surge in oil revenue has generated billions of dollars for government programs and left the next governor poised to inherit a financial windfall.

On the Democratic side, former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman are competing for the nomination. Republicans are choosing between former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, businessman Duke Rodriguez and communications consultant Doug Turner.

Independent voters are also eligible to participate in the primary under a recently enacted election law, opening the nominating contests to a sizable group of voters who previously could not cast ballots in partisan primaries.

The eventual winner in November will take office with substantial resources generated by New Mexico's energy sector, setting up a debate over how best to use the state's oil-fueled revenue while tackling persistent challenges facing residents.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt is urging supporters of rival candidate Adam Miller to abandon what he called a protest vote and instead rally behind his campaign in an effort to unseat Mayor Karen Bass.

In a video posted to social media, Pratt argued that voters dissatisfied with Bass should reconsider supporting Miller, claiming the candidate has failed to gain traction despite spending millions of dollars on his campaign.

"We all agree that Karen Bass has failed the city as mayor. We need change," Pratt said.

Pratt claimed Miller has struggled to connect with voters and argued that the businessman is not a viable contender in the race.

The reality television personality also criticized Miller's past political associations and questioned his handling of charitable funds, though he did not provide evidence for the allegations in the video.

Despite those criticisms, Pratt acknowledged that Miller "seems like a nice enough guy" before arguing that Los Angeles' challenges require stronger leadership.

"LA is in dire straits and needs a pitbull, not a shrinking violet," Pratt said.

Pratt's central argument focused on electability, telling viewers that backing Miller would only improve Bass' chances of remaining in office.

"A vote for Miller is a vote for Karen Bass," Pratt said.

The video marks one of Pratt's most direct appeals yet to voters supporting another candidate, as he seeks to position himself as the leading alternative to the incumbent mayor.

Spencer Pratt drew both support and skepticism from Los Angeles residents as voters headed to the polls in a closely watched mayoral primary against incumbent Karen Bass and City Councilmember Nithya Raman.

Pratt, 42, has been a vocal champion for LA residents since losing his home during the deadly 2025 Palisades wildfire. He launched his mayoral campaign in January with a focus on ousting Bass due to her alleged mishandling of the LA fires.

While he's played into the media circus and is backed by a number of public and private celebrity endorsements, locals remain divided over their choices for mayor.

LA resident Brian Lovoto adamantly believed Pratt's not the candidate his city truly needs.

Find out what else voters say about Spencer Pratt.

This is an excerpt from a story by Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright.

"Entourage" creator Doug Ellin blasted the state of Los Angeles in a social media video, saying crime concerns and declining quality of life have left many residents frustrated with the city's direction.

Ellin, who created the hit HBO series that helped glamorize life in Southern California, said a home invasion at his residence dramatically changed how he approaches security.

"I now have 15 cameras at this house, German shepherds, three legal guns," Ellin said in the video, noting that he previously went years without locking his doors.

The television producer argued that concerns about crime are widespread throughout his neighborhood, saying residents have increasingly turned to private security and surveillance systems.

"Everyone in my neighborhood has got the same problem," Ellin said. "They're all putting cameras and hiring security guards because we're all getting broken into."

Ellin reserved some of his sharpest criticism for Los Angeles leadership, arguing that the city has deteriorated in recent years.

"This city has collapsed in the last five years," he said.

The producer also weighed in on local politics, criticizing the choices voters have been presented with in recent elections and expressing frustration with the direction of city government.

Ellin said he remains personally invested in Los Angeles because of the role it played in his career and because of the image of the city he helped popularize through "Entourage."

"I made this city look great. I did it for years. I glorified it," Ellin said.

He added that he often encounters people who moved to Los Angeles after watching the show but now tell him they are unhappy living in the city.

Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand told Fox News on primary day that rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in state government remains a driving force behind his campaign as he seeks to flip the governor's office in 2026.

Sand, who currently serves as Iowa's state auditor, pointed to his experience as a public corruption prosecutor and watchdog over taxpayer spending when asked what motivates him on the campaign trail.

“I'm mostly, at the end of the day, focused on good government. That can be seven years of being the chief public corruption prosecutor in the attorney general's office, it can be two terms of state auditor, it could be focusing on the idea that independent voters should get to participate, right?” he said. “That would be good government, it would be better government than what we're doing right now.”

“I look around over the last two terms and we've seen so many examples of just absolute abuse of positions of trust and power,” Sand continued.

Sand cited several examples he said demonstrated a lack of accountability in state government, including a $20 million Workday contract, increased spending related to Iowa's school voucher program and a $170,000 taxpayer-funded settlement stemming from an open records violation.

“I'm sick of this. I grew up in Iowa where we had Chuck Grassley and Tom Harkin…We had divided government in the statehouse most of the time, and there was basically an acknowledgement that to get something done you'd have to acknowledge that a broken clock is right twice a day and work with the other people who were sent there with respect to the voters who sent them in order to get something done,” he said. “That's what I want to get back to. People who are paid to basically make sure that Republican candidates win, like to scare people with words like California, New York, Minnesota. Those are all one-party states.”

“I want Iowa to be a divided government, to be not redder or bluer, but to be better and truer,” Sand added. “I think most Iowans are ready for that, and they would see it as a meaningful change in the right direction.”

California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer marked election day Tuesday with a ride on Los Angeles' Metro D Line.

"No better day to ride the D (train) than election day," Steyer wrote in a post on X alongside a video of himself boarding the train and interacting with fellow passengers.

The video showed Steyer standing aboard the train, speaking with riders and shaking hands during the trip.

"I'm Tom Steyer and I'm about to ride the D," Steyer said before boarding.

After stepping onto the train, Steyer appeared impressed with the experience, remarking, "That is one sweet train."

The post came as voters headed to the polls in primary elections across several states, with Steyer using the occasion to highlight public transportation in one of California's largest cities.

Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand took a moment away from the political spotlight Tuesday to celebrate a personal milestone, marking his 14th wedding anniversary with his wife, Christine.

"Happy Anniversary, Christine! 14 years of marriage today and stronger than ever. Love you," Sand wrote in a post on X.

The anniversary coincided with primary election day, as voters in several states headed to the polls in contests that could help shape the political landscape ahead of the November midterm elections.

South Dakota’s Republican primary for governor is shaping up to be a closely contested race as voters head to the polls, with a late surge in advertising and campaign spending tightening the four-way contest and raising the possibility that the nomination may not be decided tonight.

The Dakota Scout reported that conflicting poll numbers and a wave of recent spending have increased the likelihood of a secondary runoff election.

While U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson has maintained front-runner status throughout much of the campaign, Gov. Larry Rhoden, House Speaker Jon Hansen and Aberdeen businessman Toby Doeden remain in contention.

The Dakota Scout noted that the crowded field and aggressive final push by all four campaigns have created uncertainty about the outcome as voters cast their ballots.

If no candidate secures the threshold needed to win the nomination outright, South Dakota voters could face a runoff election later this summer.

The Republican National Committee's election integrity operation has "staff on the ground" as eyes and ears on watching every legal ballot cast Tuesday.

Also, the RNC shared an election integrity whistleblower form from "California Project the Vote."

RNC Chairman Joe Gruters blasted California’s election system in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“California continues to be the model of how not to run elections,” Gruters said. “Its dumpster-fire system is exactly why the RNC is waging our most aggressive election integrity operation to date, with more than 150 lawsuits in 34 states. Voters deserve timely results and elections they can trust.”

The RNC and Gruters are standing by for a landmark Supreme Court decision at the end of this month: Watson v RNC.

"The RNC is fighting for a singular Election Day," RNC Election Integrity Communications Director Ally Triolo told Fox News on Tuesday. "This is exactly why Watson is so important."

That case will help determine U.S. legal precedent on whether a state can "ballots that are cast by federal election day to be received by election officials after that day."

“Republicans are on offense with the most aggressive election integrity operation in our history, a battle-tested legal infrastructure, and a clear mission: protect the ballot box and secure every legal vote," Triolo added in a statement.  

President Donald Trump’s extremely firm grip over Republican Party voters once again faces key tests in crucial gubernatorial primaries in California and Iowa.

Trump on Tuesday re-upped his support in California for GOP gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton, a one-time British political strategist turned American conservative commentator and former Fox News Channel host whom the president recently endorsed in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Pointing to Hilton, Trump wrote in a social media post, "He will work with me and the Federal Government, the money will flow because I have confidence in him (but not any of the others!), and we will MAKE CALIFORNIA GREAT AGAIN. Steve Hilton will NEVER let you down. VOTE NOW!"

California holds what’s known as a jungle primary, where all candidates regardless of party affiliation appear on the same ballot, with the top two finishers advancing to the general election.

There are a whopping 61 candidates on the ballot but only a handful of contenders have a good chance of making the cut.

Among the top three in the race are Hilton, and Democrats Xavier Becerra – a former longtime congressman and California attorney general who later served as a Cabinet secretary in former President Biden's administration, would become the first Latino Golden State governor in modern history – and Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund founder turned environmental activist who unsuccessfully ran for his party's 2020 presidential nomination and who’s dished out over $200 million of his own money on his gubernatorial bid.

Also in the race is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican. Bianco has argued that he's the most conservative candidate in the race but has seen his support deteriorate after Trump backed Hilton.

Hilton, in a primary-eve interview with Fox News Digital, argued that "every vote for him [Bianco], I'm afraid to say it's nothing personal. I have a good relationship, and I'd love to work with Chad. I'd love him to join my team. We can work together to save California. But every vote for him right now is actually a vote for a Democrat, A Democrat top two for the general election, which is a disaster."

Hilton and Bianco are both hoping to become the first California Republican in the Democrat-dominated state to win a gubernatorial election since then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2006 re-election two decades ago.

Democratic candidates former Rep. Katie Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, are among the other better-known contenders.

Trump’s other big test comes in right-leaning Iowa.

The president late last week endorsed Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra in the competitive GOP gubernatorial nomination race in the battle to succeed retiring longtime Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Feenstra is one of the front-runners in primary ballot box showdown that also includes entrepreneur and private school co-founder Zach Lahn, who is backed by the influential conservative group Turning Point USA, as well as state Rep. Eddie Andrews, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former state administrative services director Adam Steen.

The winner will face Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand, who is unopposed in his primary. Sand is the only Democrat currently elected to statewide office.

The brute force of the president's endorsement power and the immense grip he has on the Republican Party has been on display in GOP primaries the past month, with candidates Trump backed ousting incumbents he targeted in showdowns in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas.

Iowa, once a key general election battleground state, shifted to the right over the past decade. Trump carried the Hawkeye State by 13 points in his 2024 presidential election victory and Republicans control the governor’s office, the legislature, and hold both U.S. Senate and all four U.S. House seats.

But with Republicans facing a very rough midterm political climate, Democrats are optimistic about their chances in Iowa this autumn.

California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton used a primary day campaign stop to urge Republican voters to consolidate behind his campaign, warning supporters that backing anyone else could risk leaving the GOP out of the general election.

“A vote for anyone except me is a vote for two Democrats in the top two,” Hilton told supporters Tuesday in Huntington Beach. “That is the reality. It’s a very serious moment for our state.”

Hilton acknowledged that some Republican voters might be considering supporting another GOP candidate, including Chad Bianco, in hopes of placing two Republicans in the general election. But he rejected that strategy as unrealistic.

“I understand why people would want that, but it’s not real,” Hilton said. "It cannot happen. And it’s very dangerous."

Hilton framed the day as a make-or-break moment for California Republicans under the state’s top-two primary system.

“We have to get a Republican in the top two,” Hilton said. “I don’t love this crazy top -two system, but it’s the one we’ve got and we got a win with what we’ve got.”

The race had become a “very tight three horse race,” according to Hilton, noting billionaire Tom Steyer was gaining after spending heavily.

“We can’t take anything for granted,” Hilton said.

The Republican candidate also called on attendees to keep working after voting, telling them to text, email and knock on doors to drive turnout.

“This is your mission today,” Hilton said. “We have to tell every single person… this is your job. To help save our state of California.”

Hilton cast the campaign as part of a broader push against Democrat control in California, saying voters across the state were ready for change.

“This really is the year we can turn things around and get our state back on track,” Hilton said. “We are done with the Democrats.”

He closed by telling supporters the election was in their hands.

“We have the power today,” Hilton said. “No one else can tell us what the future for California could be. We decide that.”

Pollster Nate Silver is calling out California’s slow vote-counting process due to mass mail-in balloting processes, warning that prolonged election result delays are both unusual and damaging to public trust.

“The fact that California elections often can't be resolved for weeks is kind of insane and not common in other electoral systems around the world,” Silver wrote on X early Tuesday.

“Like honestly 'it's going to take us several weeks to tell you who won the election' is failed state sh-- and should be much more stigmatized,” he added in a reply.

Silver, the statistician and election analyst best known for founding FiveThirtyEight, argued that the public has become too accepting of drawn-out vote counts – echoing a long-held point of contention from President Donald Trump and myriad conservatives pushing to move the Save America Act in the stalled Senate under Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

“The fact that it's tolerated is bad too a textbook example of learned helplessness,” he concluded.

California has frequently taken longer than many other states to finalize election results because of its heavy use of mail ballots and extended ballot-processing rules.

Results of Tuesday night's election might not come for weeks.

He is not on the ballot, but longtime Democratic Senate Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York is on the minds of plenty of Iowa Democrats in Tuesday’s Senate primary in the Hawkeye State in a race that is among a dozen across the country that may determine if Republicans hold their slim Senate majority in the midterms.

State Rep. Josh Turek, a four-time Paralympian, and state Sen. Zach Wahls are facing off for the Democratic Senate nomination in the battle to succeed retiring Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

Wahls, a progressive who Republicans have likened to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, has the backing of liberal champion Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. Turek, the more moderate Senate contender who flipped a GOP-held Iowa House seat in 2022, is backed by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Turek also has the tacit support of Schumer and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. And VoteVets, an establishment-aligned outside group, has spent big bucks on behalf of Turek.

Wahls is showcasing a “Iowans over insiders” theme as he accuses Turek of being beholden to Schumer and big bucks from outside political groups aligned with the Democratic Party establishment.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is the overwhelming frontrunner to secure her party's Senate nomination in the race.

Hinson, a former TV news anchor who is in her third term representing Iowa's 2nd Congressional District, is facing a long-shot challenge from former state senator and former U.S. Senate candidate Jim Carlin. Hinson is backed by Trump, Senate Majority Leader Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the campaign arm of the Senate GOP.

Hinson, who in 2020 flipped a Democrat-held seat that covers the northeastern portion of Iowa, is seen as a rising star in the party.

Iowa was once a key general election battleground state but has shifted far to the right the past decade. President Donald Trump carried the state in all there of his presidential election campaigns, including by 13 points in 2024.

But the retirements of Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds and Ernst along with the rough political midterm climate facing Republicans, have Democrats optimistic they can flip the seats.

Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is facing Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman in a contest that could shape the next phase of Democrat politics in the longtime blue state.

Haaland, a former congresswoman and the first Native American Cabinet secretary, would become the first Native American woman elected governor of any state if she wins in November.

Bregman is running as a law-and-order Democrat with a prosecutor’s profile, giving the primary a clear contrast in style and emphasis.

Republicans also have a three-way race for governor, with former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, medical cannabis entrepreneur Duke Rodriguez and business owner Doug Turner competing for the nomination.

The general election will decide who manages a state budget deeply tied to energy production at a moment when oil and gas revenues remain central to New Mexico politics.

Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., is running for another term and faces a Democrat primary challenge from community organizer Matt Dodson.

On the Republican side, Larry Marker is running as a certified write-in candidate and must receive 2,351 votes to become the GOP nominee. If he falls short, no Republican Senate candidate will appear on the general election ballot.

Polls close at 9 p.m. ET in New Mexico.

A crowded Republican primary for governor could shape the state’s political direction well before November.

A sitting governor, a congressman, a legislative leader and a businessman are all fighting for control of the state GOP’s future.

GOP Gov. Larry Rhoden is seeking a full term after taking over in 2025, when Kristi Noem left to join President Donald Trump’s Cabinet.

But Rhoden did not clear the field. He faces a competitive primary against Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., state House Speaker Jon Hansen and businessman Toby Doeden.

The race carries extra stakes because South Dakota requires candidates for governor, U.S. Senate and U.S. House to win at least 35% of the vote to avoid a runoff. If no candidate hits that mark, the top two advance to a June 23 runoff.

At the top of the federal ballot, Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., is running for a third term and faces U.S. Navy veteran Justin McNeal in the Republican primary.

Former state trooper Julian Beaudion is unopposed for the Democrati nomination, while independent Brian Bengs — who ran against Senate Majority Leader John Thune in 2022 — is also running in November.

South Dakota’s lone House seat is also open because Johnson is running for governor. Attorney General Marty Jackley is running in the Republican primary against James Bialota, while Democrat Nicole Gronli is set for the general election.

The state remains strongly Republican, meaning tonight’s GOP winners will likely enter the fall campaign with a clear advantage.

The last polls close at 9 p.m. ET in South Dakota.

Two surprise Republican retirements have turned a normally red-state primary night into one of the more intriguing watches on the map.

The question is whether Montana Republicans quickly consolidate behind President Donald Trump-backed candidates — or whether late retirements, independent bids and Democrat enthusiasm can create a more unpredictable fall map than expected.

The top race is the Republican Senate primary to replace Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., whose last-minute decision to abandon his reelection bid scrambled the field.

Former U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme quickly jumped in and locked down major GOP support, including endorsements from President Donald Trump and Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont.

He faces Lee Calhoun and Charles Walking Child in the Republican primary.

Former state Rep. Reilly Neill leads the Democrat field. The winners will move on to a November race that also includes independent Seth Bodnar, the former University of Montana president, whose campaign could complicate the general election in a state with a strong independent streak.

Montana’s 1st Congressional District is also open after Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., announced his retirement. Trump has endorsed conservative radio host Aaron Flint, who is running against several Republicans for the nomination.

On the Democrat side, union organizer Sam Forstag is facing former gubernatorial candidate Ryan Busse. Forstag has drawn national progressive attention, including support from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who campaigned in the district last month.

Primay polls close at 10 p.m. ET in Montana.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

President Donald Trump is throwing his political weight behind Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton's upstart campaign in the deep-blue state.

"CALIFORNIA: Vote today for Steve Hilton for Governor," Trump wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday morning.

"He will work with me and the Federal Government, the money will flow because I have confidence in him (but not any of the others!), and we will MAKE CALIFORNIA GREAT AGAIN. Steve Hilton will NEVER let you down. VOTE NOW!"

Polls close at 8 p.m. ET in New Jersey, where several House and Senate primaries will test the direction of both parties ahead of November.

New Jersey Democrats have moved quickly to harness the political populism of the state’s anti-ICE movement, arguing that backlash to federal immigration enforcement can help them hold off Republicans in key races.

The issue has been especially visible after protests around the Delaney Hall ICE facility in Newark, which have become a flashpoint heading into primary night.

The marquee race is in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, where Democrats are choosing a nominee to take on Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., in one of the state’s most competitive House seats.

Kean has no primary challenger, but he has drawn scrutiny after missing more than 100 House votes while dealing with an undisclosed medical issue. Rebecca Bennett, a former Navy helicopter pilot, is among the Democrats seeking the nomination.

In the Republican Senate primary, former TV reporter Alex Zdan is seen as the likeliest nominee to face Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., in November. Still, the result will be watched for any overperformance by Richard Tabor, Justin Murphy or Robert Lebovics, which could signal lingering volatility inside the state GOP.

In New Jersey’s 10th District, Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., seeks to continue representing the heavily Democrat Newark-area seat.

In the 11th District, Rep. Analilia Mejia, D-N.J., a progressive who has called for abolishing ICE, is looking to advance in another race shaped by the party’s left flank.

The most crowded contest is in the 12th District, where Democrats are competing to replace retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman in a safe Democrat seat. Adam Hamawy, a trauma surgeon and former Army medic backed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., has emerged as a leading progressive contender.

He is running on a platform that includes abolishing ICE, an arms embargo on Israel and changes in Democrat leadership. Hamawy has also faced scrutiny for connection convicted terrorist Sheik Omar Abdel-Rahman, a blind Egyptian cleric convicted in 1995 of conspiring to blow up the United Nations and other New York-area landmarks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Republican California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton said Monday that if elected governor, his first executive order would create a “Taxpayer Fraud Strike Force” to investigate and prosecute alleged fraud, waste and abuse in California government — with Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom at the top of the list.

Hilton detailed the proposal in an on-camera Fox News Digital interview with Paul Steinhauser in Los Angeles on the eve of California’s top-two primary, where voters will decide which two candidates advance to the November general election.

“This is my first executive order,” Hilton said. “This is Day 1 of the new administration. We’re going to clean house in California.”

The draft executive order, released by Hilton’s campaign, would establish the California Taxpayer Fraud Strike Force to investigate alleged fraud, corruption, theft, abuse of public funds and government mismanagement.

“We will not spare anyone,” Hilton said. “Gavin Newsom will be top of our target list because for years Newsom was warned by the state auditor, by other state agencies, his own state agencies, that billions of dollars were being stolen, and he did nothing about it.

“What we’re going to be investigating with this executive order, setting up a task force, a strike force to look at criminal prosecution, is whether there was criminal negligence on the part of Gavin Newsom and other state officials,” Hilton added. “And if there was, then they will be prosecuted.”

California’s Tuesday primary features a crowded top-two field, with Hilton among the leading Republican candidates and several Democrats, including Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer, competing for a spot in November.

“I don’t think there’s anything more serious than taking responsibility for taxpayer money,” Hilton said. “We have the highest taxes in the country, in California, and we get the worst results. And one of the reasons is that the money has been stolen.”

When reached for comment, Newsom’s office did not take Hilton's candidacy seriously.

“Who is Steve Hilton?" a statement to Fox News read. "California will keep leading the way in cracking down on fraud with tougher laws, more investigations, and stronger accountability to protect taxpayers. While this individual wants to create headlines, we are actually doing the work to take any allegations of fraud seriously.”

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

The immense power of President Donald Trump’s endorsements in Republican primaries will once again face a key test on Tuesday.

Trump late last week endorsed Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra in the competitive GOP gubernatorial nomination race in the battle to succeed retiring longtime Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds.

Feenstra is one of the front-runners in primary ballot box showdown that also includes entrepreneur and private school co-founder Zach Lahn, who is backed by the influential conservative group Turning Point USA, as well as state Rep. Eddie Andrews, former state Rep. Brad Sherman and former state administrative services director Adam Steen.

The winner will face Democratic state Auditor Rob Sand, who is unopposed in his primary. Sand is the only Democrat currently elected to statewide office.

The brute force of the president's endorsement power and the immense grip he has on the Republican Party has been on display in GOP primaries the past month, with candidates Trump backed ousting incumbents he targeted in showdowns in Indiana, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas.

Iowa, once a key general election battleground state, shifted to the right over the past decade. Trump carried the Hawkeye State by 13 points in his 2024 presidential election victory and Republicans control the governor’s office, the legislature, and hold both U.S. Senate and all four U.S. House seats.

But with Republicans facing a very rough midterm political climate, Democrats are optimistic about their chances in Iowa this autumn.

Republicans are looking for signs of a political breakthrough as voters head to the polls in a slate of primary elections spanning California, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico and South Dakota.

The most attention-grabbing race is in Los Angeles, where reality TV personality and social media viral sensation Spencer Pratt is trying to turn celebrity, clever ads and a Trump endorsement into a serious challenge for City Hall.

Running as an independent with Republican backing in the deep-blue stranglehold of Los Angeles, Pratt has centered his campaign on homelessness, crime and government accountability, arguing that families no longer feel safe in the nation’s second-largest city.

Mayor Karen Bass, seeking a second term, has lined up major Democrat support, including endorsements from Gov. Gavin Newsom and other top California Democrats.

But Pratt’s rise has given Republicans a rare opening in a city where they have not won the mayor’s office in three decades. The key question is whether he can force the race into a November runoff.

California’s governor’s race is another major test. With Newsom term-limited, Republican Steve Hilton is trying to capitalize on a crowded Democrat field and California’s top-two primary system, where all candidates run on the same ballot and the top two advance regardless of party.

If Democrats split their vote, Republicans could have a path to the general election in a state where statewide GOP victories have been elusive for years.

Meanwhile, Iowa offers a different kind of test: President Donald Trump’s influence inside the Republican Party. His endorsement in the GOP gubernatorial primary will be closely watched as another measure of his clout with primary voters.

On the Democrat side, Iowa’s Senate primary is also drawing attention as establishment and progressive forces battle for the nomination.