LOS ANGELES (AP) – President Donald Trump is trying to rally his supporters in California, the epicenter of Tuesday’s primary voting, where Republicans face the embarrassing prospect of failing to even get a candidate into the November election for governor.
The president urged voters in a last-minute tweet to not let Democrats shut them out.
“In High Tax, High Crime California, be sure to get out and vote for Republican John Cox for Governor. He will make a BIG difference!” Trump tweeted.
Under California’s primary system, all candidates appear on a single primary ballot, with the top two vote-getters regardless of party advancing to the November election. In a crowded and competitive field of hopefuls, such as the race to succeed term-limited Democrat Jerry Brown, it’s possible that two candidates from the same party would advance, in this case Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
Cox, a business executive, has the GOP’s best chance at earning a spot.