Editor’s note: The presidential nominating contests in both parties will come down to the California primary.
For Democrats, 548 delegates are at stake — 11.5% of the total. For Republicans, 172 delegates are at stage — 6.9% of the total. Of those, for Democrats, 158 (29%) are divided proportionally on a statewide basis, while 317 (58%) are divided proportionally by congressional district, with each district providing between 5 and 8 delegates. The remaining 73 (13%) are “superdelegates.”
For Republicans, 13 (8%) are awarded statewide, with ten going to the candidate with the highest number of votes on a winner-take-all basis, and three going to “pre-determined” delegates (the State Chair, National Committeewoman, National Committeeman). Meanwhile, 159 (92%) are awarded by congressional district on a winner-take-all basis, with each district providing 3 delegates.
The result: a district-by-district battle in both parties, which we preview for you here.
CA-47: Both parties will experience a tough fight in this district, which straddles Los Angeles and Orange counties, and includes Santa Catalina Island. There are roughly 50,000 Republicans in each of those counties, while nearly three times as many Democrats in L.A. as in Orange County, and twice as many overall. That explains how the district has elected liberal Democrat Alan Lowenthal to Congress — and Sanders will have strong support as well.
Prospects:
Democrats: Clinton and Sanders will split this district, with Sanders doing surprisingly well in elite Catalina.
Clinton 3, Sanders 3
Republicans: The fact that California’s Republican primary is “closed” will make the difference here for Cruz.
Cruz 3, Trump 0, Kasich 0
Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News. His new e-book, Leadership Secrets of the Kings and Prophets: What the Bible’s Struggles Teach Us About Today, is on sale through Amazon Kindle Direct. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.