Brian Lerner on WNYC, as we segue from local politics with the mayor to national politics, some very consequential primary races in two states. New Jersey and California. There are other ones

as well around the country, I think six states overall, but we're going to focus on New Jersey and

California. In California, there's an unusually wide open governor's race to replace term-limited

Governor Gavin Newsom and a three-way contest for mayor of Los Angeles that has tightened dramatically in the

final days. The governor's race is being seen as whether or not Democrats can hold a state. They

historically dominate on paper. And the L.A. mayor's race features a reality TV star whose

candidacy kind of mirrors the Trumpy populism we're seeing on the national level.

And in New Jersey, four Democrats are competing to take on Republican incumbent Tom Kane, Jr.

In the 7th District, Kane has been absent from his district in D.C. for a few months now due to an

unspecified illness. But even without that, this is considered a swing

district and his tenure is considered vulnerable. The Democrats in that district are striking

decidedly moderate tones. I think it's fair to say, very different from what's going on

in the 12th congressional district in New Jersey, where appropriately

maybe 12 Democrats are vying in a wide open primary to replace retiring six-term term congresswoman

Bonnie Watson Coleman. That's a safely blue central Jersey seat where candidates are rolling

out some very progressive policies. So, joining us now

from their states are two journalists. Charles Stile is a political columnist at the record or

North Jersey.com to give us a preview of the competitive congressional primaries in New Jersey.

He was on yesterday, as some of you

may remember, but we spent so much time on what's going on at Delaney Hall that we really

didn't do the primaries justice. So Charlie is right back with us. He's good enough to do that.

And Dustin Gardner, co-author of Politico's California playbook, He'll preview what's going on out there. Dustin,

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