6 takeaways from primaries in California, Mississippi and other states

[Algernon Moncrieff]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/08/4-takeaways-primaries-california-new-jersey-etc/

1. Voters in blue cities send a message on crime — again
It’s become apparent that voters even in blue cities are willing to punish Democrats who are perceived as too soft on crime. Tuesday resulted in some particularly pronounced examples of that trend.

In San Francisco, voters made the historic decision to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who won office in 2019 while running on the idea of a less punitive criminal justice system, including ending cash bail and sending fewer people to prison. The latest results show voters recalling him by a strong margin, 60 percent to 40 percent, with an estimated 61 percent of votes counted.

In Los Angeles, Rick Caruso and Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), who was once considered a contender to be President Biden’s vice president, look to be headed for a runoff in the mayor’s race. But Caruso, a former longtime Republican who made fighting crime the centerpiece of his campaign, led Bass by 42 to 37 percent early on.

The results come after voters delivered similar verdicts in the 2021 elections. In Minneapolis, Buffalo, Seattle and on Long Island in New York, they voted against candidates and measures related to the “defund the police” movement and cash bail. But Boudin might now be the chief example, given his policies and San Francisco’s reputation as one of the most liberal cities in the country.