CALIFORNIA, HERE WE COME – AT 2:29 P.M. ET:  There is a California primary on Tuesday.  It's an odd primary in which the top two finishers go on to the gubernatorial election, regardless of party.  So you can have two Democrats running against each other in November, or, theoretically, two Republicans. 

Some Republicans believe they have a reasonable chance of winning the governorship this year.  But first they must get a GOP candidate into one of the top two slots on Tuesday.  From Fox: 

California gubernatorial candidate John Cox (R) is edging closer to frontrunner Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) after an endorsement from President Trump. 

Cox is the leading Republican for the June 5th "jungle" primary, in which the top two vote-getters advance to the general election regardless of party.  

Newsom, the former mayor of San Francisco, holds a nine-point lead on Cox, according to Real Clear Politics' polling average.

Outgoing Gov. Jerry Brown (D) has sparked controversy in the state with the passage of a sanctuary law, which critics argue hinders the ability of federal authorities to apprehend criminal aliens. 

Cox said on "America's Newsroom" Friday that both he and the president are "businessmen" and that 19 states have Republican businessmen or women as their governors.

"We get the job done. We don't engage in a lot of partisan bickering. ... That's what the president is doing," he said, touting the new jobs report.

Cox said he believes Californians "are looking for change" and are becoming more and more concerned about the state's affordability after years of Democrat-led tax hikes, including on gasoline. 

"I think they're finally getting it. We don't want to become the Venezuela of America. We don't want government running our lives completely," he said. 

COMMENT:  California used to be a Republican state.  It was the state that elected Ronald Reagan the governor twice.  In recent years it has drifted strongly blue.

Will this year break the pattern?  I have no idea, but I'll be watching the returns Tuesday night. 

June 2, 2018