Polling shows Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco leading the pack, while eight Democrats split the liberal vote.
Democrats’ 2026 comeback could be spoiled by California electing a Republican governor, as two GOP candidates are leading in recent polls.
Experts forecast a potential “blue wave” in the midterm elections, as Democrats have recently overperformed in special elections, including flipping a state senate seat in President Donald Trump‘s own Palm Beach, Florida, district on March 24.
But the party is facing a nightmare scenario in the nation’s most populous state, where polling shows Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco leading the pack in the June 2 nonpartisan primary. The state’s liberal majority is split among eight Democratic contenders.
The Democrats’ dilemma stems from California’s unusual election system, in which the top two finishers, regardless of party, advance to the November general election. A Berkley ISG survey released March 18 of more than 5,000 registered voters showed Hilton, a conservative TV host, receiving 17% of the vote while Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff, held 16%.
In third was Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, with 14%, then former Rep. Katie Porter holding 13%, followed by Tom Steyer at 10% and the five other Democratic candidates each getting 5% or less.
Click Here to Subscribe to the California Political Review
Other yardsticks show a similar trend, such as a March 18 survey commissioned by the California Democratic Party showing the two GOP candidates on top with Swalwell, Porter, and Steyer in a three-way tie for third place.
California Democrats enjoy a 2-to-1 voter registration edge over the GOP, but Golden State voters say there is a fog of confusion around the race due to the party’s failure to coalesce around a frontrunner. Olivya Reyes, a graduate student who lives in Oxnard, California, told USA TODAY the party still feels like it is trying to “find its footing” between a more moderate or progressive candidate.
“I feel like as a Democratic voter, what I would want to see from my party is clarity on who we’re supporting and getting behind,” she said.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is prevented from running due to term limits, has one eye on the presidency and hasn’t endorsed a successor or publicly nudged lower-performing candidates out of the race.
That neutrality could come at a cost, some experts say, should the two GOP aspirants prevail.
How about this one “” party still feels like it is trying to “find its footing” between a more moderate or progressive candidate.””””
How about this, the Radical Socialist took over the party 40 years ago. Now the above idiot doesn’t get it the lies are 40 years and failing.
The former Democrat Party sold out for political power and embraced hard Communist point of view that allowed the likes of Caesar Chavez, and the radicalized UC system.
Check out this quote….. “I would want to see from my party is clarity on who we’re supporting and getting behind,” This is a really stupid comment but only comes from Colleges, and reporters that bought the crap starting with the Democrats & Cronkite and his lies about Vietnam.
Piled higher and deeper it still smells putrid.
You voted for them and now is time to own up to buying crap and a State in $Trillions in debt.
Follow up…..did anyone see the idiots no kings pairing up with the Communist Party?
How does any rational person do that. The road of Communism is paved with economic decay, and concentration camps the world over.
You have to be some kind of stupid not to see the history of the world and most importantly the history of Western Civilization since the 1700’s. What was WWII in Europe? Germany under the Nazi version of Communism faced off with the Soviet Union. Hitler needed command of most of Europe to take on Stalin and his criminals.
Germany’s defeat led to the “Iron Curtain” and the concentration camps which gave encouragement to the evil led by Mao.
Still think being a Democrat is so cool? Then you have an IQ below 60.