State's Top-Two Primary Leads to Four All-Democratic Congressional Races

Updated 12:35 p.m. Wednesday

To the surprise of only those who have never heard of California's 17th Congressional District, eight-term incumbent Democrat Mike Honda and fellow Democrat/fellow progressive Ro Khanna wound up in a dead heat in a renewal of their 2014 electoral battle.

Secretary of State's vote returns showed Khanna with 38.3 percent and Honda 38.1 percent with 100 percent of precincts counted.

With two Republicans, Peter Kuo and Ron Cohen, trailing far behind, California's top-two primary system triggers an all-Democratic race in the 17th District general election.

Two years ago, Honda won a narrow general election victory in a district that encompasses slices of southwestern Alameda County and eastern/northern Santa Clara County. Honda won the June 2014 primary over Khanna by 20 percentage points, then squeaked by his challenger in November, 51.8 percent to 48.2 percent.

Honda was not in the district for Tuesday night's tally, having returned to Washington, D.C., to attend a committee hearing.

Khanna celebrated with supporters as votes were counted. He said he's hoping to debate Honda early and often.

"I’d do 10, and it’s not because we need them to win, but it’s what’s right for this district," he said.

The 17th District is one of four statewide that will see two Democrats face off for congressional seats in November. The others:

• The 29th District, in the San Fernando Valley, where incumbent Rep. Tony Cárdenas buried four primary opponents -- all Democrats.
• The 34th District, in central Los Angeles, where incumbent Rep. Xavier Becerra won 79 percent of the single opponent on the ballot, a Democrat.
• The 44th District, in Compton and South L.A., where Isadore Hall III led a 10-candidate field for a seat being vacated by Rep. Janice Hahn, who opted to run for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

All but one of the rest of the state's 49 congressional districts will feature traditional Republican-Democrat matchups. The one exception is the 40th District, again in Los Angeles County, where incumbent Democratic Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard will face "no party preference" candidate Roman Gabriel Gonzalez in November.

KQED's Beth Willon contributed to this post.