The Santa Clarita Valley’s 27th Congressional District remained closely contested in the early results Tuesday, while the 40th Assembly District’s incumbent held a big lead in her re-election bid.  The first returns were released shortly after 8 p.m., with updates coming throughout the night. The California Secretary of State’s website indicated that 100% of districts had partially reported as of 9:30 p.m.  As of press time, Santa Clarita City Councilman Jason Gibbs was leading the incumbent for the 27th Congressional District, with 43.9% of the vote to 40.2% for Rep. George Whitesides, D-Agua Dulce.   California’s Primary, the first Tuesday in June every two years, produces the top-two candidates who will face off again in the November General Election.    In addition to its main congressional district and Assembly race, there were two new congressional seats, one each for the western and eastern borders of the SCV: the new 26th and 30th districts, respectively.   The 26th didn’t have an incumbent as Julia Brownley, D-Ventura, is not seeking re-election; the 30th is represented by Rep. Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, who led based on the early returns Tuesday.  27th Congressional District  The 27th Congressional District election offered SCV voters a choice between two largely familiar faces and two other relatively new ones: Whitesides, and Gibbs, a Republican, as well as Roberto Ramos and Caleb Norwood, who are both Democrats.  Ramos had 9.3% and Norwood had 6.7%.  Whitesides’ campaign indicated early Tuesday that he would be in Washington, D.C., for legislative business on the day of the primary, and he was not planning any last-minute campaign stops.   Gibbs, who, along with an Assembly candidate, was listed on the invitation for a party at Salt Creek Grille hosted by the local Lincoln Club, also was not immediately reachable as of this story’s publication.  40th Assembly District   In the 40th Assembly District, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth held a big lead with 56.4% of the vote as of the early returns.   She was seeking re-election against three Republican challengers: Elizabeth Wong Ahlers, a former teacher and Crescenta Valley council member; Andreas Farmakalidis, a business owner and music teacher; and Rickey Tracy Hayes II, a lineman and businessman.  Hayes was in second place based on the early returns, trailing with 23.7% of the vote.   Ahlers, whose 14.8% was good for third, with only the mail-in votes counted, was at Salt Creek Grille on Tuesday.  She said themes of “public safety” and “affordability” were some of the biggest concerns she heard from voters.  Andreas Farmakalidis was in fourth, as of press time, with 8.7% of the tally.  26th Congressional District  In the 26th Congressional District, the early returns showed Jacqui Irwin far ahead in the nine-candidate race that developed, after Brownley announced her intent.  It looked like as of press time, with nearly 6% of precincts reporting, she’d be joined by Sam Gallucci, a Republican business executive and pastor, who garnered 20.9% of the early returns.  As a result of last year’s Proposition 50 vote, this district includes a northern sliver of the SCV on the western side, and mostly in Ventura County.  30th Congressional District   In the 30th Congressional District, Laura Friedman, D-Glendale, took a big lead in the race in the early numbers, with 51.5% of the early returns. Scott Alan Meyers, a Republican attorney from Burbank, was in second as of about 9 p.m. with 20.4% of the vote. Their district represents a portion of the SCV that runs along State Route 14.  34th Assembly District  In the 34th Assembly District, Randall Putz, a Democrat from Big Bear Lake, is the leader in the race to replace Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, who termed out after this year. Charles Frederick Hughes, a Republican, was in second place with 8.4% of the returns in Monday night. He had received 37% of the vote, compared to Steve Fox, also a Republican, who had 18.3%, and Manny Lin, who had 4.9%.  The post A local look at California’s early Primary results appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal. ...read more read less