SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento residents of Senate District 8 received reminders of California’s unusual top-two primary system every time they opened their mailboxes this spring.
Two Democrats — both virtually guaranteed spots on the November general election ballot — spent much of April and May trashing each other in a barrage of mailers, some funded by political action committees (PACs).
Issues like homelessness and climate change were eclipsed by the millions in PAC money. Instead, the primary between Sacramento City Councilwoman Angelique Ashby and former Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones devolved into a contest over who was the biggest special interest stooge.
