Carl DeMaio's Reform California Wins Primary Races Despite Party Opposition

In the weeks leading up to California's June primary, state GOP leaders sent a cease‑and‑desist letter to Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, accusing him of misleading voters by using official Republican branding for his Reform California group. Despite the warning, Reform‑backed candidates performed strongly without the party’s endorsement. In the San Diego area, Reform candidate Kristie Bruce‑Lane defeated establishment contender Ed Musgrove in the state Senate race and will face Democrat Mara Elliott in the November general election. Reform also secured local victories, including San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones winning a county supervisor seat and Merced City Councilmember Darin DuPont advancing in a race against Democrat Esmeralda Soria. Republican gubernatorial hopeful Steve Hilton publicly aligned with DeMaio, and big‑tech and business groups spent $2 million in an effort to defeat Bruce‑Lane, but their spending did not change the outcome. DeMaio declined multiple interview requests for the story.