Calif. Primary Narrows Field for Top Schools Job

Dawn Cooper takes a few minutes to look over the voters guide while waiting to vote at the Central United Methodist Church in Sacramento, Calif., June 8. Primary voters in California and South Carolina chose candidates who will compete in the fall for the position of state schools superintendent.

—Rich Pedroncelli/AP

Retired Superintendent to Vie With Assemblyman in Seeking Top K-12 Post

By Lesli A. Maxwell

The race for state schools chief in California will extend to the state’s general election in November, after none of the three leading candidates captured a simple majority to claim the nonpartisan office in the June 8 primary .

The top two vote-getters—Larry Aceves, a retired superintendent who led the pack with 18.8 percent of the vote, and Tom Torlakson, a state assemblyman who received 18 percent—will vie to replace outgoing state chief Jack O’Connell. The third-place candidate in a field of 12, state Sen. Gloria Romero, failed to make the cut, with 17.2 percent.

That Mr. Aceves, who has never before run for public office, emerged as the leading vote-getter was somewhat of a surprise, though he had substantial financial backing through an independent expenditure committee set up by the Association...