Long Beach Primary Election Results

LONG BEACH, CA – Following the Primary Election on June 7, results show a tight race for various Long Beach offices which will all be decided in runoff elections this November.

Poll results from in-person voting show a close run between Rex Richardson and Suzie Price for Long Beach mayor, while former-mayor Robert Garcia polls ahead in his congressional campaign in District 42. 

As of Tuesday evening, Richardson is polling at 43% with Price close behind at 38%. The two candidates will now move on to a runoff election on November 8, where the votes decide who will become the next mayor of Long Beach. 

City Council members for multiple districts have also been elected for nomination in the November election including current City Council member Mary Zendejas who currently polls at 49% for district 1. Kristina Duggan is polling at 22% for district 3 with candidate Nima J. Novin trailing close behind at 19%.

The top two candidates for District 5 are Megan Kerr, who holds 47% of the votes, and Ian Patton with 32%. District 7 has voted in mass for candidate Roberto Uranga, who has amassed 62% of the votes. Joni Ricks-Oddie has 44% of the votes for District 9 with Ginny Gonzales polling behind at 26%. These candidates will move on to the November election for official seats on City Council. 

The race for City Attorney is close with Dawn McIntosh polling at 56% and Gerrie Schipske polling at 43%. Current City Auditor Laura Doud is running again for the position and is polling at 61% with candidate Daniel Miles at 38%. Candidate Doug Haubert polls at 58% for City Prosecutor with Nick Liddi III at 22%. 

In the race for County Sheriff, Long Beach’s former police chief, Robert Luna, polls behind Alex Villanueva, who leads with 34% of the votes, with Luna holding almost 25%.

The state of California re-drew its congressional district map in December 2021 in response to the results of a census, which is conducted once every ten years. 

The new districts go into effect June 2022, and the redistricting of congressional lines in not only California but other states as well give opportunity for Republicans to move in and take control of the U.S. House of Representatives this midterm election.

The legislators’ “Great Resignation” in the state of California is how CalMatters refers to the “historical gut” of state legislators who gave up their seats by the 2022 primary election, either due to retirement, accepting another position or choosing to run for Congress. However, the seemingly biggest drive for political turnover was caused by the state’s newly drawn electoral maps. 

Long Beach’s own former mayor, Robert Garcia, currently polls ahead of his Republican opponent John Briscoe in one of the key congressional districts, District 42. Results of the in-person voting polls on June 7 showed Garcia winning nearly 45% of votes, with Briscoe holding around 28%. 

In a neighboring key district, District 27, the run for a congressional position in the House of Representatives is between Republican candidate Mike Garcia and Democratic candidate Christy Smith. Garcia polls ahead of Smith thus far, winning nearly 50% of the votes, while Smith holds onto 35%. 

Not even a year later since retaining his seat in the last recall election, incumbent Gavin Newsom continues to poll well with the voters, holding 60% of the votes in the June primary election in his run for re-election as state governor. As California state law requires, Newsom must win against the second top candidate in November.

Republican candidate Brian Dahle seems most likely to run against Newsom this November, as he currently polls second highest, winning 11% of the votes. 

Results are still coming in, and county election officials continue to count received VBM ballots until June 14.

By Hannah Shields and Morgan Trivitt