Becerra widens lead over other Democrats in California gubernatorial race
The former Biden administration official leads Steve Hilton by 3 points as the open-primary race narrows before the June 2 election.
- On Wednesday, a Public Policy Institute poll showed Democrat Xavier Becerra leading California's gubernatorial field with 23 percent support, while Republican Steve Hilton followed with 20 percent among 1,707 adults surveyed May 14–18.
- Becerra consolidated his position as the leading Democrat after former Representative Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race amid allegations of past sexual misconduct, ahead of the June 2 primary election.
- While Becerra publicly supports a single-payer healthcare system, the California Medical Association president claimed the candidate assured members he would "very clearly" indicate opposition to the policy, a point billionaire Tom Steyer raised during a debate.
- Becerra's support surged from 19 percent in an Emerson College Polling survey conducted earlier this month to 23 percent, which campaign spokesperson Jonathan Underland described as momentum backed by energized working Californians.
- The open primary system allows the top two finishers to advance regardless of party, a structure that previously positioned Republican Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco to potentially lock Democrats out of the general election ballot.
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Who’s ahead in the California governor race?
From left: Xavier Becerra speaks at a gubernatorial forum in Fresno on April 1, 2026, and Steve Hilton speaks at a gubernatorial forum in Sacramento on April 14, 2026. Photos by Larry Valenzuela and Miguel Gutierrez Jr., CalMatters Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton are holding on to the lead in the latest poll ahead of the California governor election. That’s according to the Public Policy Institute of California, which surve…
Who’s ahead in the California governor's race?
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for its newsletters. Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton are holding on to the lead in the latest poll ahead of the California governor election. That’s according to the Public Policy Institute of California, which surveyed 986 likely voters earlier this month. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed (23%) said they’d vote for Becerra, followed by Hilton at 20%, Tom Steyer at…
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