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California voters who chose Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff and Republican Steve Garvey in the 2024 Senate primary on Super Tuesday said the most pressing issue for them is the cost of living, according to CBS News exit polls. 

Schiff was viewed as the front-runner in the primary, defeating several Democrats, among them, Reps. Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. Garvey is a former professional baseball star who jumped into the Senate race in October. Schiff and Garvey are competing to fill the seat of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein. 

Here are some of the issues that were on the minds of California voters as they cast their ballots for their new senator. 

Super Tuesday exit polls in California and the race for the Senate 

People voting in the Senate primary in California have financial concerns, picking “cost of living” as the top issue facing California. 

On a national level, over half of voters rate the national economy as not so good or poor.  And seven in 10 are unhappy with the way things are going in the country. 

This is similar to the sentiment that we see among the public nationwide. 

Voters who chose cost of living as the most important issue facing the state voted for Schiff, followed by Porter, and then Garvey, a former professional baseball star.

Fewer voters pick immigration as their top issue, but those who do voted overwhelmingly for Garvey.

Ideology

Four in 10 of those casting their votes in the California primary Senate race call themselves liberals.

Race

Compared to the Republican primary electorate for president, there are more people of color casting ballots in the California Senate race. Roughly four in 10 voters are non-white. 

Melissa Quinn contrbuted to this report.