Oakland, California - Socialist presidential contender Claudia De la Cruz has claimed victory in the California Peace and Freedom Party (PFP) primary.

"The votes are still being counted but the Claudia-Karina 'Vote Socialist' campaign has a clear and irreversible lead," the Party for Socialism and Liberation candidates announced on X.

"We are also excited to announce that a significant majority of PFP’s newly elected Central Committee, which will formally choose the nominee at its August convention, have pledged their support to the Claudia-Karina campaign."

Interim results released by De la Cruz's campaign show her garnering 45.3% of the vote as of March 7.

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Fellow candidates Cornel West and Jasmine Sherman got 40.5% and 14.2% of the vote, respectively.

The Peace and Freedom Party is a feminist socialist party with ballot status in California. It was founded in 1967 in opposition to the Vietnam War and racial and economic injustice in America.

De la Cruz now appears poised to succeed previous PFP presidential nominees Leonard Peltier (2004), Ralph Nader (2008), Roseanne Barr (2012), and Gloria La Riva (2016 and 2020).