LOS ANGELES — California's plodding, weeks-long tally of mail-in ballots has become Exhibit A in President Trump's campaign to delegitimize the November midterms. Why it matters: Glacial vote-counting in the nation's most populous state has produced a familiar, flammable ritual: Late mail piles up, officials plead for patience, and early Republican leads slowly vanish. - Democrats and election officials say the long wait is the price of counting every legal vote, including mail ballots postmarked by Election Day that take days to arrive. - Trump and his allies treat the process itself as proof of fraud, without producing evidence of illegal votes. Driving the news: Spencer Pratt, the reality TV star running a viral campaign for L.A.…
California’s slow vote count can create a “red mirage,” where Republicans appear to have an early edge before more ballots are counted. Decision Desk HQ's Chief Elections Analyst, Geoffrey Skelley, explains how late arriving and Election Day drop-off ballots, many of them from Democrats, can shift the numbers over time. Watch the full episode here: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/data-nerds/5909321-spencer-pratt-karen-bass-los-angeles-mayoral-race-maine-iowa-midterms-live-discussion/ The Hill Insider is a new premium access digital subscription from The Hill — launching July 2026. Join the waitlist now: thehill.com/waitlist #california #ca #californiaelection #elections2026 #votecounting #votes #republicans #gop #democrats…
Republican candidates in key California races looked poised to advance to the general election this morning, but with almost half of the votes yet to be counted, there’s still some possibility of a “red mirage.” There’s no such uncertainty for establishment Democrats in other key races across the country, who comfortably made it through their primaries against more progressive challengers. Read more: https://thehill.com/newsletters/morning-report/5907398-establishment-democrats-california-gop-wins-2026-primaries/ #SteveHilton #California #XavierBecerra #TomSteyer #Dems #Trump #MidtermElections
