California governor election
On June 2, 2026, California voters will go to the polls and select the state’s two gubernatorial candidates for the primary election on Nov. 3. There will be 62 candidates on this year’s ballot according to ABC10 News. The highest pollers according to the California Democratic Party’s poll on May 4 were Steve Hilton, Xavier Becerra, Chad Bianco, Tom Steyer and Katie Porter.
Three weeks out from the primary on June 2, there is still no definitive conclusion as to who will go onto the election, with all candidates currently polling at various levels under 20 percent. With conflicting political interests in the state, voters have felt torn in the decision to select a governor. Columbia University professor Robert Shapiro described the factors that are contributing to extra stress from both parties.
“It may be that the Republicans' best chance in this race in such a lopsided Democratic state is if two Republicans emerge in the jungle primary as a result of the Democratic vote being split among many candidates,” Shapiro said.
Another candidate, Eric Swalwell, was on the ballot and gaining high support from Democratic voters, until four women, mostly his previous staffers, came forward with sexual assault and misconduct allegations which were quickly fact-checked (see Swalwell article below).
(18 percent) Hilton is tied with Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra in the race. Hilton is a Republican candidate and former policy advisor who has built his campaign around reducing California's cost of living. Hilton has aligned himself with more conservative national policies and has expressed support for stronger cooperation with the federal government. His platform focuses on lowering taxes, cutting regulations and increasing housing supply by easing building restrictions. He argues that long-term Democratic leadership has made the state unaffordable. Hilton has gained strong support among Republican voters, helping consolidate his position in the race. In an interview with Capradio, he explained his strategy to make real change in the state.
“It’s a combination of the budget and then immediate executive action to deliver what I really see the whole thing as about, which is they're just reducing the costs and hassle of living in and running a business in California,” Hilton said.
(18 percent) Becerra has spent decades in government, serving as California attorney general, a congressmember and Secretary of Health and Human Services. His campaign sharply gained traction after Swalwell dropped out of the race. His focus is heavily on his experience, concentrating on defending California’s policies against federal challenges, particularly healthcare and immigration. Becerra has largely emphasized continuing and protecting existing programs. While this approach appeals to voters who value stability, others see it as lacking urgency in a race shaped by major state issues like housing and affordability. In an ABC7 interview on Apr. 23, University of Southern California and University of California Berkeley Political Communications lecturer Dan Schnur commented on Becerra’s likelihood to win following the interest boost in his campaign.
“This Becerra boomlet has taken place over the last six days. While it's certainly working to his benefit, nothing is decided at this point,” Schnur said. “It's more likely than not that this race goes all the way down to the wire to see which Democrat makes it into the general election runoff."
(14 percent) Bianco is a Republican candidate and current Riverside County sheriff whose campaign is centered on public safety and limiting government overreach. He has consistently criticized state leadership on crime and pushed for stricter policies, often aligning with broader conservative frameworks. His law enforcement background defines much of his platform, which resonates with voters focused on crime. As two high-polling Republican candidates, Hilton and Bianco have begun to avoid criticizing one anothers’ campaigns, with Bianco recently caught in a gubernatorial debate on May 5 denying that he had accused Hilton of ‘swindling’ the Republican party in a conversation with CNN reporter and debate moderator Kaitlan Collins.
“[Hilton is figuring out how to] manipulate Californians to put him in this position at a time when we know that California Democrats have failed and we are going to vote for a Republican governor and he has swindled his way into the Republican side, even though he’s not,” Collins said.
Bianco insisted he had not said the word ‘swindled,’ and expressed respect for Hilton’s campaign.
“Have Steve [Hilton] and I disagreed? Absolutely. We’ve had quite big disagreements and battles in this election, because he’s running his campaign, I’m running mine,” Bianco said.
(12 percent) Steyer is a billionaire investor and former presidential candidate whose campaign centers on climate policy, economic inequality and expanding government programs. He has used personal wealth to fund much of his campaign. Steyer supports higher taxes on the wealthy and increased public spending, positioning himself within the progressive wing of the field. However, his platform overlaps heavily with other Democratic candidates, making it harder to distinguish his campaign. His wealth also remains a point of tension, as critics argue it complicates his messaging on inequality and opponents have used it as strong fuel against his campaign. An ad funded by Pacific Gas & Electric, a company that has spent $10 million against Steyer’s campaign portrayed him as dishonest and accused him of not truly believing in his tax policies.
(8 percent) Porter is a former U.S. representative known for her focus on consumer protection and corporate accountability. As a Democratic candidate, Porter has openly come out with criticisms of the Trump administration.
“I first ran for office to hold Trump accountable,” Porter said. “I feel that same call to serve now to stop him from hurting Californians.”
Porter has made points against the president’s actions against immigration and has called for the abolition of Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE). Her campaign centers on lowering everyday costs and regulating large corporations. She plans to solve the housing crisis by lowering housing prices and creating more livable spaces. Porter has strong support for her policies and plans, however her treatment of staff has come into question after a video of her berating a staffer resurfaced. Porter has addressed the video before, saying she had already apologized to the staffer and learned from her actions.
Jocelyn Guttman (’27) pointed out that other candidates are not being considered for their personalities, but their qualifications, and Porter should not be treated differently.
“In general, people need to consider candidates’ qualifications over characteristics that won’t affect their ability to govern,” Guttman said.
David Swanson / Reuters
Candidates Antonio Villaraigosa, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, Steve Hilton, Chad Bianco, Xavier Becerra and Matt Mahan debate different issues Californians are considering at the latest gubernatorial debate on May 5.