One of the nation’s most chaotic and consequential gubernatorial races is heading toward an inflection point Tuesday in California.
Voters are searching for a replacement for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, and their decision will help determine the future of state government that serves as a proving ground for progressive ideas and a punching bag for Republican President Donald Trump. Not only is California the most populous state in the country, it has one of the largest economies in the world, and is home to Hollywood tastemakers, Silicon Valley disruptors, and Central Valley farmers.
The race was turned upside down last April, when Rep. Eric Swalwell, who had been working to shore up support among establishment Democrats, was accused of sexual assault and sexual harassment. It leaked.
California eliminated party primaries in 2010 in favor of Primary forestAll voters will receive the full slate of candidates, and the top two winners will advance to the general election regardless of party.
Two polls conducted in mid- to late May showed that Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Helton each enjoyed the support of about 2 in 10 likely voters. In one poll, Democrat Tom Steyer edged close to Becerra and Hilton, while Republican Chad Bianco and Democrat Katie Porter trailed further, but similar shares of voters supported Steyer, Bianco and Porter in the other poll. None of the other candidates received double figures in either poll.
Among 61 names At the polls, money and attention piled up around a handful of candidates with records in politics. Here’s a look at those top contenders.
Becerra He has History 35 years In California and national politics. He was a member of the Democratic leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives when then-Gov. Jerry Brown chose him to be California’s Attorney General after Kamala Harris was elected to the US Senate. This perch has been used for Fight Trump hard And his court docket during the president’s first term.
He later served in President Joe Biden’s Cabinet as Secretary of Health and Human Services.
This experience is at the heart of his pitch to voters as Steady hand To guide California and stand up to Trump. It also called for scrutiny.
Some Biden administration alumni have disparaged his record as health secretary, and he has faced persistent questions since one of his former top aides was convicted of stealing campaign funds.
After Swalwell’s withdrawal, Becerra consolidated support from several Democratic forces in California, including major labor unions, Planned Parenthood, and the LGBTQ rights group Equality California.
Trump’s endorsement gives Hilton a chance to advance With the Republicans, it is perhaps the clearest path for either candidate in the general election. But it may pose a burden in November in a state that voted overwhelmingly against the Republican president. Hilton has largely avoided mentioning Trump unless asked during a A series of discussions.
Hilton is Conservative commentator and former Fox New host. Originally from England, he was an advisor to former British Prime Minister David Cameron.
Noting Democratic dominance in California, he urged voters to elect a Republican as majority controller in Sacramento. In contrast to Bianco’s focus on cultural issues, Hilton’s message is closely tied to the traditional Republican focus on cutting taxes and shrinking the size of government. He has pledged to make the first $100,000 of people’s income tax-free, and to dramatically lower gas prices.
the Billionaire founder From a San Francisco hedge fund, Steyer — or his face, at least — is ahead everywhere in the primary. for him Standard spendingmost of which came from his personal wealth, made his advertising inevitable. This helped him become one of the front runners in the race.
Steyer, who has never held elected office, first made a name for himself as a donor to Democratic politicians and groups committed to fighting climate change. He funded a campaign calling for Trump’s impeachment during his first term, and later funded his own campaign for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination but It leaked After disappointing performances in the early state primaries and caucuses.
Steyer is running as a progressive populist, attacking political power wielded by special interests and corporations. His message has endeared him to unexpected allies of the billionaire financier, including the Bernie Sanders-aligned Our Revolution group.
As Mayor of San Jose, Mahan is a moderate Democrat Rooted in the pro-innovation spirit of Silicon Valley. The right playground for businessmen and their own background As an entrepreneur he has become a favorite among some in the world of technology.
California must “go back to basics,” Mahan says, emphasizing technocratic problem-solving rather than factional skirmishes. He entered the race late as an outsider to Sacramento’s leadership, and has built a statewide profile primarily by criticizing Newsom and the Legislature’s response to homelessness and crime.
His support from tech executives — and millions of dollars — has been controversial in some corners of the party, especially among labor unions and populists who worry that Silicon Valley elites wield too much power.
However, he is struggling to consolidate support on the pro-business left, and even some of his benefactors are hedging their bets. Google co-founder Sergey Brin and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale also introduced Republican Steve Hilton.
Once a college professor, Porter has made a name for herself With a whiteboard and simple political messages during the three terms representing Orange County in Congress. Her verbal sparring with business executives who testified on Capitol Hill went viral.
Porter draws on her anti-corporate populist background and argues that she is capable of fighting on behalf of ordinary Californians against powerful interests. Before running for office, she was an independent monitor of banks in California in the national mortgage settlement in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.
Her understanding of politics helped her garner support from newspaper editorial boards. But she did I fought an image As a mercurial leader. Leaked videos showed her reprimanding one of her aides, who can be seen behind her in the Zoom video He threatens to leave From a television interview. She apologized and pledged to treat people with more respect.
Porter is running for Senate in 2024, but she… He failed to achieve this Through primary.
The former Los Angeles mayor and state Assembly speaker is struggling to gain traction after more than a decade out of public office.
A union organizer, Villaraigosa was the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles in more than a century. The role he held From 2005 to 2013.
Villaraigosa is Present his experience In Los Angeles and the state Capitol, he is running as a pragmatic centrist problem solver in implicit contrast to his Democratic rivals who stress their commitment to progressive ideology.
Villaraigosa has roots in Southern California’s political ecosystem, which will be jarring after four terms in office for Brown and Newsom, both governors from the San Francisco Bay Area.
He ran for governor in 2018 but He got third place In primary school.
Bianco is the mayor of Riverside County and he stresses it A career of three decades In the field of law enforcement, pledging to address crime and homelessness.
A staunch Trump supporter, Bianco generated national notoriety when he took office 1,000 boxes of electoral materials were seized Including more than half a million ballots from the 2025 special election on redistricting. He says it’s part of a legitimate criminal investigation, but critics see it as a reference to discredited conspiracy theories that have galvanized Trump’s base. State Supreme Court in April His command To stop the investigation.
Nubia Put it at odds With the Democratic Attorney General of California and raising his standing among Republicans.