OC primary races draw millions in special interest cash ahead of June vote

Orange County voters head into a June 2026 primary crowded with competitive races for three Board of Supervisors seats, two state Assembly districts, county treasurer and a new congressional seat where two Republican incumbents face each other for the first time, according to Voice of OC.

The stakes are high for Orange County's Korean-American community and all residents: the Board of Supervisors controls a nearly $11 billion annual budget and oversees both the OC Sheriff's Department and the Health Care Agency, making this primary a consequential first filter before November.

**District 5 spending war**

In the District 5 supervisors race, incumbent Supervisor Katrina Foley faces Assemblywoman Diane Dixon and candidate Lucy Vellema. Three public-employee unions — the OC Professional Firefighters Association, the OC Employees Association and the Association of OC Deputy Sheriffs — collectively spent more than $565,000 supporting Foley, while the OC Democratic Party added over $40,000 in advertising, according to campaign finance filings reported by Voice of OC. The Lincoln Club, a conservative donor group, countered with more than $163,000 opposing Foley and over $38,000 backing Dixon.

**Four-way field in District 4**

District 4 drew a crowded field: Buena Park Mayor Connor Traut, Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung, OC Board of Education Trustee Tim Shaw and La Habra Councilwoman Rose Espinoza. The National Association of Realtors spent more than $125,000 on ads supporting Shaw's bid, Voice of OC reported.

**Tech billions flood Assembly races**

State Assembly races in the 67th and 68th districts attracted heavy technology-industry spending. In the 67th, committees funded by Ripple co-founder Christian Larsen and venture capitalist Timothy Draper spent nearly $3 million on ads supporting Cerritos City Councilman Mark Pulido against Unite Here Local 11 co-president Ada Briceño. In the adjacent 68th district, a committee linked to Google and Meta spent $1 million backing Santa Ana City Councilmember David Penaloza over fellow council member Jessie Lopez, Voice of OC reported.

**Treasurer fight carries a backstory**

The county treasurer's race pits incumbent Shari Freidenrich — who manages a $16 billion investment fund — against Dana Schultz, her former deputy. County supervisors stripped Freidenrich of investment oversight authority before the election and transferred it to Schultz. "The county needs a more diversified investment strategy with the chance of greater returns," Schultz said, according to Voice of OC.

**Two Republicans, one new seat**

California's post-census redistricting placed Republicans Rep. Ken Calvert and Rep. Young Kim in the same new 40th Congressional District, which spans parts of Riverside and Orange counties. The state and county Republican parties spent a combined $5.3 million on advertising in the race, Voice of OC reported. Outside groups opposed to Kim also spent heavily: Americans 4 Security poured more than $2.3 million into ads against her, and the California Conservatives Political Action Committee added $1 million in opposition spending.

In most of these races, the top two finishers in the June primary advance to the November general election; a candidate who clears 50 percent of the vote wins outright and avoids a runoff.