With the polls closed across California, longtime U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren holds a commanding lead in the race for the state’s 18th District.
With about 83% of precincts reporting partial results throughout the district as of 8:30pm March 5, Lofgren has received about 57% or 16,740 votes in the five-candidate race, according to the California Secretary of State’s website. Republican Peter Hernandez, a Hollister business owner, has received 29.7% or 2,511 of the votes counted and Democrat Charlene Nijmeh has received 8.5%.
Democrats Lawrence Milan and Luele N Kifle have received 3.1% and 2.2%, respectively, says the Secretary of State’s website.
The 18th District includes portions of Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
The top two vote getters in the March 5 primary will advance to a runoff in the November general election.
Lofgren is going on 30 years in the House of Representatives. If she wins reelection this year, she will begin her 15th consecutive term in Congress.
Hernandez is a lifelong resident of Hollister and the owner of Ohana Shave Ice in downtown Hollister. He served one term on the San Benito County Board of Supervisors, from 2018-2022,
Nijmeh, a Morgan HIll resident, is a second-generation Muwekma Ohlone tribal leader. She is a businesswoman and a mother of five.
