By admin 
Early returns in California’s 4th Senate District primary showed Democrat Jaron Brandon and Republican Alexandra Duarte ahead of incumbent state Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil in the contest for two spots on the November ballot.
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The Associated Press projects Brandon and Duarte will advance to the November general election. They garnered about 39% and 33% of the vote, respectively. Alvarado-Gil received about 28% of the vote as of 2 p.m. Wednesday.
California’s 4th Senate District includes El Dorado Hills, South Lake Tahoe, Modesto, Sonora and Bishop.
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Alvarado-Gil is a farmer and educator who became a Republican in 2024, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting. She was first elected as a Democrat in 2022 and switched parties in part because of what she described as the Democratic Party’s efforts to limit stronger criminal penalties. She was accused of sexual harassment that same year, but the claim was not substantiated.
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She has advocated for rural Californians, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting. Alvarado-Gil has focused on fire insurance, fentanyl and farmers’ concerns.
Duarte co-owns a vineyard in El Dorado County and helps lead Duarte Nursery in Stanislaus County. She is married to John Duarte, a former Central Valley congressman.
Brandon, the chair of the Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors, describes himself as a “steel-toed Democrat,” according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting. His top priorities include public safety, infrastructure improvements and fiscal responsibility.
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