Neel Kashkari ‘encouraged’ by early returns in bid to face Brown
Gov. Jerry Brown will face first-time candidate Neel Kashkari in California’s November general election.
Former U.S. Treasury official Neel Kashkari told supporters in Orange County late Tuesday that he felt optimistic about his chances of winning a place on the November ballot to take on Gov. Jerry Brown -- but did not want to prejudge the results.
The Republican candidate said former GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney had called him to say he was heartened by early returns that showed Kashkari nominally ahead of his main rival, Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, but wasn’t planning to stay up late enough to watch the final count.
“It’s going to be a long night,” Kashkari told dozens of supporters, who cheered and waved campaign signs emblazoned with license plates bearing the candidate’s name. “All the returns need to be counted. But let me just tell you this, we feel great…. The early returns are very encouraging.”
Kashkari said he would stay up, and he introduced his family – including his mother, sister and girlfriend – to a small crowd gathered at the Port Theater, a Corona del Mar movie theater.
As the candidate watched vote updates on a large movie screen, supporters shouted, “Next governor!” “This is our year, baby!” one supporter screamed for TV news cameras.
The top two vote-getters in the primary will face each other in the November general election.
Twitter: @jackfleonard
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