Fiona Ma, Gloria Romero Lead California Lieutenant Governor Primary in Early Returns
Updated
Updated · CalMatters · Jun 3
Fiona Ma, Gloria Romero Lead California Lieutenant Governor Primary in Early Returns
3 articles · Updated · CalMatters · Jun 3
Summary
Early returns put Democrat Fiona Ma and Republican Gloria Romero on top in California’s top-two primary for lieutenant governor, with Ma ahead of a crowded Democratic field as voting continued Tuesday.
Ma’s main Democratic rivals are Josh Fryday and former Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs, making the race unusually competitive for an office that often serves as a springboard to higher office.
Money and endorsements shaped the contest: Fryday raised nearly $4 million with backing from Gov. Gavin Newsom and teachers unions, while Ma raised about $2.8 million and won support from major labor groups.
The campaign has also turned on biography and vulnerabilities, with Tubbs pitching affordability, Romero running as the lone prominent Republican after switching parties in 2024, and Ma facing renewed attention over a 2021 harassment case settled for $350,000.
Policy differences have centered largely on higher education because the lieutenant governor sits on the state’s college governing boards, giving candidates a platform to argue over tuition, student housing and university oversight.