The Latest: Polls open for races across the US as a busy primary election day gets underway

For a state that’s home to Hollywood, there isn’t much star power in California’s gubernatorial race. It’s a somewhat different story in Los Angeles, where a reality television personality is running for mayor as the city prepares to host the Olympics.

More primaries are being held on Tuesday as well. Democrats are banking on a rare chance to regain ground in Iowa, a rural state that has repeatedly eluded them in recent years. Republicans, meanwhile, are grappling with a New Jersey congressman whose unexplained absence could put their already slim majority at risk.

— California: Voters are weighing in on who should lead the nation’s most populous state, where there is no clear leader among candidates vying to advance in the race to succeed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom. Plus, U.S. House races are on the ballot, along with the Los Angeles mayor’s race.

— New Mexico: Contests in the state include primaries for congressional seats, a U.S. Senate seat and a long list of statewide offices, but the governor’s race is the main attraction. Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is running for the Democratic nomination, which could put her on a historic path for Native American leaders.

— New Jersey: One of this year’s most closely watched House midterms will take place in the battleground district represented by Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who has drawn public scrutiny and concern after missing more than 100 House votes due to an undisclosed medical issue. Voters are deciding which Democrat will run against him in November.

— Read more about races in Iowa, Montana and South Dakota.

Here's the latest:

California Democratic voter wants to ‘stand up’ to Trump

Vanessa Rosella, a 47-year-old teacher, said she focused her pick for California’s next governor on the candidate she felt would best defend the state against the president.

“We need someone to stand up,” said Rosella, who cast her ballot for Xavier Becerra.

She said she considered voting for Tom Steyer, but she felt the state didn’t need a billionaire in charge when affordability has become such a critical issue.

Polls have closed in New Jersey and parts of South Dakota

In-person Election Day voting concluded in New Jersey at 8 p.m.

Comparable primaries from past elections can offer clues about when to expect the first vote results and how long the vote count might take.

In the New Jersey gubernatorial primaries last year, the AP first reported results at 8:03 p.m. or three minutes after polls closed. The last vote update of the night was at 11:43 p.m. with about 93% of total votes counted.

Although South Dakota spans two time zones and some polls close at 8 p.m. ET, state law requires that no results are released until the final polls have closed at 9 p.m. ET.

Republican voter in New Mexico says GOP candidate most likely to curb violent crime

While a Democrat is favored to win the governor’s job in New Mexico, many voters on the outskirts of Albuquerque cast ballots in the Republican primary.

The fire station serving Edgewood is the town’s only polling place. Registered Republican A. J. Rodriguez voted for Gregg Hull, who he says is most likely to be elected, and be in a position to rein in violent crime and government spending.

“The state keeps voting blue, and we’re getting hammered by policies that aren’t working,” said Rodriguez, a retired sheriff’s office lieutenant. “We need someone who can actually put up a good fight.”

Competitive US House district nudges first-time Iowa primary voter

Sophia Brown was voting in her first primary in part because she sees Iowa’s 1st District as within reach for Democrats in November.

“I’ve seen the races be so close, so getting out here earlier feels like it might have an impact,” said Brown, a pharmacist for University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

Brown voted for Christina Bohannan, who is seeking her third chance against Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, a Republican elected in 2020 and reelected twice by narrow margins.

The 25-year-old resident of Coralville, just outside the University of Iowa’s home in Iowa City, said she often encounters people in her work without health insurance and unable to pay for prescribed medication.

“I see people every day who can’t get discharged from the hospital with the medicine they need,” she said. “That’s something that bothers me, and we need someone who is more acutely aware of that.”

California voter is seeking a Republican representative who stands by Trump

Brett Christensen, a 55-year-old school safety monitor from Orange, said he voted for Republican Ken Calvert for Congress because he feels he is more aligned with the president than his Republican opponent Young Kim.

“Young Kim’s voting record has not been consistent,” Christensen said outside a vote center on Tuesday.

He said he isn’t registered to any political party but finds himself voting more and more Republican, feeling Democrats have shifted too far to the political left. In California’s governor race, he said he voted for the Republican he thought had the best shot of making it to the November ballot: Steve Hilton.

“He’s the only viable Republican candidate that can make it to the runoff,” he said.

New Jersey voter says it’s important for people to ‘think reasonably’

Araz Shahinian, 49, went to vote at the Somerville Civic Center in New Jersey’s 7th District. A systems developer, he said he cast his vote in the Democratic primary for Rebecca Bennett, the former Navy chopper pilot.

“She had the more centrist views,” he said. “It’s important to have people who think reasonably about what we need to do.”

Shahinian said he hadn’t been very politically active before, but he’s worried about the state of politics and rising prices. He doesn’t see the GOP as putting forward the right policies. “I don’t think they have answers,” he said.

Democrats look to Iowa to rebuild in the heartland

Iowa wasn’t always a Republican stronghold.

Before Trump reshaped American politics, this was the state the lifted the political career of Barack Obama and sent Tom Harkin to the Senate for five terms.

The party is particularly excited about Rob Sand, who is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination for governor. A native of Decorah, Iowa, he has the rural roots that have become rare among Democrats. Perhaps most importantly, he’s a proven winner in a Republican-leaning state, having been elected twice as auditor.

Republicans head into the primary with five candidates. Trump jumped in last week to endorse Rep. Randy Feenstra.

This is the first open contest for the governor’s seat since 2006. Democrats are hoping that a combination of the economic fallout from Trump’s tariff policies, rising gas prices stemming from the Iran war and the lack of a Republican incumbent could give them their best opportunity in years. Sand also has a fundraising advantage over the Republicans, including Feenstra.