What’s at Stake for California in the March 5 Election

People arrive to cast their ballots at the Shasta County Clerk Registrar of Voters offices in Redding, Calif., on Feb. 23, 2024. In this week's "Super Tuesday" primaries, security guards will monitor the back door at one Shasta County polling precinct—a sign of political tensions in rural northern California. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Commentary

For California, the March 5 primary election launches what will be a fateful year for the state and the nation. These are times that try men’s souls on foreign, national, state, and local policy. Here’s a preview.

National Election in California

In 2017, California passed legislation to switch its national primary from June to March to give it more clout in the presidential selection process, after previously moving the primary from March to June starting in 2012. But California won’t have much of an impact this year. It’s preordained President Joe Biden will win the Democratic Primary and former President Donald Trump the Republican Primary, both easily.