Governors race Archives - Page 3 of 5 - California Political Review

Could Trump’s Hilton endorsement sabotage GOP chances?

April 8, 2026 By Staff 2 Comments

From CalMatters Capitol reporter Jeanne Kuang:

President Donald Trump has endorsed Republican Steve Hilton in the California governor’s race, a move that could consolidate the conservative vote and, ironically, tank the GOP’s best chances of winning the seat.

With California’s top-two primary system, the eight Democratic candidates could split the vote such that the two GOP competitors, Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, end up as the only ones on the general election ballot.

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As CalMatters reported last week, pollsters and strategists of both parties agree that that extraordinary outcome would be the GOP’s only realistic chance of winning the seat in November.

But it could also only happen if both Republican candidates continue to tie, splitting Republican votes roughly evenly. If one Republican pulls significantly ahead — say, with the endorsement of the president and de facto leader of the party — that makes it more likely one of the Democrats will get enough support to make it on to the November ballot. Either Republican would then face steep odds.

Hilton has insisted he’s the GOP’s best chance to win and has spent months attacking Bianco to consolidate the Republican vote, and the endorsement is likely to help him. Democrats will also use it to attack Hilton given how unpopular Trump is with California voters; several candidates issued statements Monday condemning their connection.

Click here to read the full article at CalMatters

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: California Politics, Governors race, Hilton

Trump endorses Steve Hilton in California governor’s race

April 7, 2026 By Megan Lebowitz 2 Comments

Hilton is one of two prominent Republican candidates in the crowded primary, which will see the two candidates who received the most votes advance, regardless of party.

President Donald Trump endorsed former Fox News host Steve Hilton for governor of California in an overnight Truth Social post, potentially shaking up a crowded primary race that will see the top two vote getters advance to the general election, regardless of their political party.

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“Steve can turn it around, before it is too late, and, as President, I will help him to do so!” Trump wrote, referring to what he has characterized as the poor leadership of Gov. Gavin Newsom and other Democrats running the state.

“With Federal help, and a Great Governor, like Steve Hilton, California can be better than ever before!” the president continued. “Steve Hilton has my COMPLETE & TOTAL ENDORSEMENT. He will be a GREAT Governor and, importantly, WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!!!”

The race to replace the term-limited Newsom features eight prominent Democratic candidates and two prominent Republicans. Trump’s endorsement of Hilton, an ex-aide to former British Prime Minister David Cameron, comes at the expense of the other major GOP candidate, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. But all candidates will appear on the same primary ballot in what’s known as California’s “jungle” primary on June 2.

Trump’s endorsement could coalesce the Republican vote around one major candidate, while the Democratic vote still appears to be fragmented among the more than half dozen significant candidates.

The Democratic candidates include Rep. Eric Swalwell, former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, former Rep. Katie Porter, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, billionaire Tom Steyer, state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, former state Controller Betty Yee and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.

Polling indicates that there is not a clear frontrunner in the race. A poll last month by the Institute of Governmental Studies at the University of California, Berkeley, found that no candidate received more than 17% of voter preferences, and several candidates received similar voter preferences that were within the margin of error.

Click here to read the full article in NBC News

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Donald Trump, Governors race, Hilton

Barabak: Is California really going to elect a Republican governor? Is there a Democratic Plan B?

April 6, 2026 By Mark Z. Barabak 1 Comment

Today we discuss probability, self-destruction and political bossism.

Wow. California, which is as blue as Lake Tahoe, is about to elect a Republican governor! How crazy is that?

Whoa. Hold up, pony. Let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.

Well, there’s certainly a lot of Democratic angst out there.

That’s for sure. It’s reminiscent of the panic that followed Joe Biden’s wretched debate performance in Atlanta, the biggest disaster to hit the city since a 2009 flood caused more than half a billion dollars in damage.

In California, the high anxiety is a result of the state’s “jungle” primary, in which all candidates appear on the same ballot, regardless of party, with the top two finishers advancing to a November runoff. With so many Democrats running, there’s the genuine prospect of them splintering partisan support, resulting in the leading GOP candidates — Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton — grabbing both slots and moving past June 2.

How likely is that to happen?

I can’t say. And Nostradamus is away on spring break.

But one of California’s leading political savants, Paul Mitchell, has developed a helpful online tool to suss out the possibilities. Visitors to his site have run tens of thousands of simulations, which right now put the odds of a Democratic freeze-out at about 17% to 20%.

Which suggests it’s unlikely. But it’s also not impossible.

Why don’t some Democrats step aside, for the good of the party?

That’s easy for you to say.

Anyone putting themselves out there by seeking public office has to have a certain amount of faith, in both their capabilities and the prospect of good fortune smiling upon them. (Luck being a greatly undervalued factor in political success.)

To be clear, no one is running away with the gubernatorial contest. For all the talk of Republicans “leading” in the polls, it’s more like a four- or five-way tie for first place, when you factor in the margin of error. And 20% support — which is roughly what the top candidate receives in surveys — is hardly a number to strike fear in the heart of rivals.

There’s also the YOLO factor.

You mean the county just outside Sacramento?

No, that’s Yolo.

I mean, YOLO — as in You Only Live Once

Click here to read the full article in the LA Times via AOL News

Filed Under: Trending News Tagged With: California Politics, Governors race, Legislature

Walters: This isn’t a race for California governor; it’s more like a game of chicken

April 4, 2026 By Dan Walters 2 Comments

Political media habitually use “race” to describe contests for public office. However the word implies movement and therefore would be inaccurate if applied to this year’s election of a new governor.

Sixty-one names will be on the June 2 primary ballot, including 10 leaders who profess to be serious about seeking the office.

However, they aren’t racing. Rather, the eight top-polling Democrats seem to be in a children’s game, sitting in a circle staring at each other, waiting for someone to blink. Meanwhile, the two top Republicans are taking potshots at each other, potentially undermining the GOP’s only chance to elect a governor for the first time in two decades.

For weeks voter polls have found that three Democrats are locked in a tie, albeit at a puny level, around 10%, while the other five Democrats are buried in single digits.

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California’s top-two primary election system has all candidates listed on the same ballot, regardless of party, with the two top finishers then advancing to the November general election.

Given the size of the field, anyone garnering around 20% in June would probably earn a place in the runoff — or about twice what the three Democrats at the top — Katie Porter, Eric Swalwell and Tom Steyer — currently have.

With mail voting set to begin in a month, the calendar is beginning to be a factor. Every ballot that’s mailed removes that voter from having his or her mind changed. One should expect, therefore, that those with even semi-realistic chances of making the cut would be waging all-out campaigns by now.

However, the only highly visible campaign is that of billionaire Steyer, who’s not only hopping around the state for personal appearances but shelling out millions of his own bucks for television and internet ads.

Much of Steyer’s campaign is aimed at Swalwell, who has obtained substantial union support, most prominently from the California Teachers Association. Swalwell also benefits from the threats of Donald Trump’s FBI to release files from its investigation of Swalwell’s relationship with a supposed Chinese spy.

Click here to read the full article in CalMatters

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: Bianco, California Politics, Governors race, Hilton, Legislature

Two Republicans are fighting for California governor. Why a tie is their best strategy

April 3, 2026 By Staff 1 Comment

With so many candidates running for governor, it’s hard to keep up. We’re here to help: Sign up for our 2026 election newsletter to get the latest on the candidates.

California Republicans have an unusual shot of claiming an upset victory in the governor’s race this year — but to win, neither of their candidates can get too far ahead of the other just yet.

With eight major Democratic candidates splitting the liberal vote, both Republican candidates, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, could come in first and second in the June 2 primary and move on to the November ballot.

That would shut out Democratic general election candidates, an extraordinary event that pollsters and strategists of both parties agree is the only viable chance for a Republican to become governor. Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans nearly two-to-one in California and the GOP hasn’t won a statewide race in two decades.

Both Republicans can only advance to November if they split the Republican vote essentially evenly, giving each enough to surpass their Democratic opponents. That’s thanks to California’s top-two primary system, in which the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election regardless of their party.

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Democrats insist it won’t happen, though they face mounting pressure over the risk in a year when the party is hoping to turn out liberal voters for U.S. House races in November.

And neither Republican is strategizing to shut the Democrats out. Instead of trying to keep the other alive through the primary, Hilton and Bianco are running campaigns like any other candidate: seeking to defeat each other. Hilton has spent the past few months attempting to consolidate Republican support by attacking Bianco, who has been happy to return the ire.

“There’s an amazing irony there, that they need to beat each other but they both need to succeed at the same time,” GOP strategist Rob Stutzman said. “It cuts against human nature and cuts against the way you put together campaigns.”

An intra-Republican primary

Despite very different backgrounds, Hilton and Bianco are running on similar policies.

Hilton is a British political strategist who’s written extensively about populism, reducing bureaucracy and decentralizing power, and Bianco is a bombastic local sheriff who is pushing the boundaries of police authority over elections.

Both are pushing a deregulation agenda, railing against Democratic-backed environmental policies they blame for raising the state’s cost of living. Their targets include the landmark California Environmental Quality Act, which requires environmental reviews for new construction.

Both Republicans also want to reverse prison closures, boost oil production to lower gas prices and reduce or eliminate the 61-cents-a-gallon gas tax.

Hilton wants to shield the first $100,000 of earnings from the state income tax (a goal Democrat Katie Porter shares) and significantly lower taxes on higher earners by cutting 18% of the state budget, including areas he claims are fraudulent or wasteful such as using cannabis tax revenue to support substance abuse programs. Bianco also wants to cut, and bring in oil revenues to eliminate the income tax entirely.

Hilton, one of the race’s top fundraisers, has raised more than $6.6 million so far, exceeding Bianco’s haul by more than $2 million. The two are second and third to Democratic former Rep. Katie Porter in the total number of campaign donors — one measure of popular support.

Click here to read the full article in CalMatters

Filed Under: Trending News Tagged With: California Politics, elections, Governors race

California ‘jungle’ primary could hand governor’s race to Republicans

March 28, 2026 By Phillip M. Bailey Noe Padilla Terry Collins Paris Barraza 2 Comments

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.

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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.

Click here to read the full article at USAToday

Filed Under: Trending News Tagged With: California Politics, Governors race, Legislature

Swalwell wins endorsement of powerful California labor group

March 15, 2026 By Alex Baker 1 Comment

KRON) — Democratic candidate for governor Eric Swalwell has earned the endorsement of one of the most powerful labor groups in California. On Friday, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) announced that it would be throwing its weight behind the Bay Area congressman in the California gubernatorial race.

The 750,000-member organization is made up of union workers including nurses, healthcare workers, janitors, developmental disability workers, social workers, security officers, airport workers, in-home caregivers, court workers, employees at schools and universities, and city, county and state employees.

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“Today, our campaign has made a major wave with the endorsement of SEIU California State Council,” said Swalwell in a statement provided to KRON4. “To the more than 750,000 California workers — from nurses to janitors, state and public employees to long-term care workers and every single one of the workers that power this state — thank you. I am deeply honored to stand with you and to have earned your support.”

“This endorsement is about more than just a campaign, it’s about a shared belief in building a New California,” Swalwell continued. “Together, we’re going to create a future where every family has a seat at the table and where our economy works for those who build it. SEIU members are the heart and soul of this state. I’m ready to fight for you, and I’m ready to lead with you.”

“Working people need a governor who will stand with us to unrig California and fight for a fair economy,” said SEIU California President David Huerta, “a fearless leader who has a deep understanding through lived experience of our struggles — and who as the experience required to take on the corporations that are driving working people to the breaking point with low pay and benefits, high prices, and avoiding paying what they owe in taxes.”

The SEIU’s endorsement comes at the end of a week in which the Swalwell campaign has been gaining steam. A recent poll from Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics showed Swalwell leading the field, having edged past Republican Steve Hilton.

Click here to read the full article at KCRON

Filed Under: Trending News Tagged With: California Politics, Governors race, Swalwell

Candidates scramble, one quits, after redistricting shakes up California’s congressional races

March 10, 2026 By Nicole Nixon Leave a Comment

California’s congressional redistricting sends Rep. Robert Garcia, an outspoken Trump critic and gay lawmaker, to represent conservative Huntington Beach — a striking political reversal.
Fracturing of conservative communities leads a veteran Republican to retire and could help some incumbent Democrats fend off progressive challengers.
Republican heavyweights Young Kim and Ken Calvert are set to battle in Orange County’s only safe GOP seat, a costly primary forced by redistricting.

Two years after Huntington Beach residents voted to effectively ban Pride flags from being displayed on city property, the conservative coastal city could be represented by a gay member of Congress and outspoken critic of President Trump — Rep. Robert Garcia.

That twist of fate came after last year’s unprecedented mid-decade rejiggering of California’s congressional districts.

Voters in November overwhelmingly approved Proposition 50 — Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to neutralize Republican gerrymandering in Texas — to help Democrats win control of the House this November and put a meaningful check on the Trump administration.

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The political tremors triggered by the ballot measure already have reshaped California’s political landscape.

Veteran Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of northern San Diego County, an incessant thorn in the backside of President Obama, has called it quits. Northern California Rep. Kevin Kiley has shed his GOP label to run as a political independent. And two Republican congressional incumbents find themselves in a political death match in a newly crafted district straddling Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The new 42nd District remains anchored in Garcia’s home base of Long Beach. But under the new lines, it has swapped out Southeast L.A. communities such as Downey and Bell Gardens for the more MAGA-friendly cities of Huntington Beach and Newport Beach.

“I say that every time a district crosses the L.A.-Orange County border, a Democrat gets its wings,” said Paul Mitchell, the redistricting expert who drew the new lines for Democrats. “Drawing the Long Beach district to go down to Huntington Beach meant that you’re giving Robert Garcia a community that, in its elected City Council, has been real anathema to who he is as a person, being an out gay member of Congress.”

The change means Garcia’s district shifts rightward with a lot more Republican voters, but still has a Democratic majority. Former Vice President Kamala Harris would have still won the new district in the 2024 presidential race by 13 points, making Democrats confident that it’s still one where Garcia could win.

Click here to read the full article at the LA Times

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: California Politics, Governors race, Legislature

Anxiety grows among California Democrats as gubernatorial candidates rebuff calls to drop out

March 7, 2026 By Nicole Nixon and Seema Mehta Leave a Comment

State Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks warned that a crowded Democratic field could hand California’s governorship to Republicans for the first time in nearly two decades.
Despite the warning, eight of nine major Democratic candidates filed their paperwork to run, betting they can build momentum before the June primary.
Some lower-polling candidates of color accused party leaders of unfairly pressuring them to drop out, deepening tensions within the Democratic establishment.

SACRAMENTO — Despite a plea from the head of the California Democratic Party for underperforming candidates to drop out of the governor’s race, all but one of the party’s top hopefuls spurned the request.

Party leaders fear the growing possibility that the crowded field will split the Democratic electorate in the state’s June top-two primary election and result in two Republicans advancing to the November ballot, ensuring a Republican governor being elected for the first time since 2006.

His advice largely unheeded, state party Chairman Rusty Hicks on Thursday said the fate of a Democratic victory now rests squarely on the gubernatorial candidates who flouted him.

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“The candidates for Governor now have a chance to showcase a viable path to win,” Hicks said in a statement Thursday.

Eight top Democratic candidates filed the official paperwork to appear on the June ballot after Hicks released a letter on Tuesday urging those “who cannot show meaningful progress towards winning” to drop out. Friday is the deadline to file to appear on the primary election ballot. On March 21, the secretary of state’s office will formally announce who will appear on the June ballot.

“It sounded like someone who has his head in the sand,” former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said of Hicks’ open letter. “[Most] of us filed within 24 hours of getting that letter. It created some press but not much else. It didn’t impact [most] of the candidates and it certainly didn’t impact my candidacy.”

Democratic strategist Elizabeth Ashford said it was appropriate for Hicks and other Democratic leaders to make a public plea as opposed to keeping such discussions solely behind closed doors.

Click here to read the full article in the LA Times

Filed Under: Top Stories Tagged With: California Politics, Democrats, Governors race