Gov. Brown Easily Advances To November Race; Kashkari Defeats Donnelly In GOP Battle
LOS ANGELES (CBS/AP) -- Gov. Jerry Brown easily advanced to the general election, setting up a historic bid for his fourth term as California governor.
With about 60 percent of precincts reporting in Tuesday's primary, Brown was leading a large field of gubernatorial candidates with 53 percent of the vote.
Republican Neel Kashkari, a former U.S. Treasury official who led the bank bailout, defeated Assemblyman Tim Donnelly to advance to the November election and challenge Brown. Donnelly conceded the race to Kashkari late Tuesday night.
Kashkari received 18 percent of the vote in the primary, while Donnelly received 15 percent.
The Democratic governor has amassed more than $21 million in his campaign account but has barely campaigned so far.
The first gubernatorial primary held under California's new top-two system shaped up as a traditional party primary for Republicans, who were not expected to seriously challenge Gov. Brown who has his share of GOP supporters for his fiscally conservative policies.
Donnelly is a strict conservative and Tea Party favorite who has created controversy within his own party for his views and statements comparing President Obama to Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin in regard to gun control.
Former investment banker and first-time candidate Kashkari maintains more moderate views which he says can help the GOP gain a larger following in the state.
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