U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla has been projected to advance to the general election in November, according to The Associated Press.
Democratic incumbent Padilla, appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to replace former Sen. Kamala Harris when she was elected vice president, is on the ballot for two separate elections and is sailing to huge leads over his opponents in both.
In the special election to fill the remainder of Harris’ six-year term, which ends in January of 2023, Padilla has 54% of the vote.
Similarly, in the election for a full six-year term, Padilla is winning 53% of the vote over Republican Mark P. Meuser, who has 14%.