California's June 2 primary employs a top-two system in which the two highest vote-getters advance to November regardless of party affiliation. The open-seat contest features low name recognition across the field, with Democratic candidates Fiona Ma, Josh Fryday, and Michael Tubbs emphasizing higher-education policy such as tuition freezes and expanded access, while Republican contenders including Gloria Romero and David Fennell highlight affordability and government efficiency. Recent polling shows the race remains wide open with large undecided shares, and a late-April higher-education forum underscored the candidates' shared focus on college costs. The primary occurs in roughly two weeks, leaving limited time for additional shifts in voter awareness before the top two are determined.