California Primary: Hilton Holds Narrow Lead in Governor Race as Tallies
California’s statewide primary elections remained too close to call on Wednesday, with Republican Steve Hilton holding a narrow lead over Democrat Xavier Becerra in the race to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom. With millions of mail-in ballots still to be counted, the final outcome of the top-two “jungle” primary may not be known for days.
According to The Guardian, Hilton led the field with approximately 28 percent of the vote, followed closely by Becerra at 25.4 percent, with billionaire Tom Steyer at 19.6 percent. Three Democratic candidates — San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa — conceded the race shortly after polls closed.
A Historic and Chaotic Primary
The race to replace Newsom, who is term-limited after two terms, drew a staggering 61 candidates to the ballot — the largest field in modern California history. The contest unfolded under the state’s unique top-two primary system, where all candidates compete on a single ballot regardless of party, and the two highest vote-getters advance to the November general election.
The sprawling field reflected deep uncertainty in California’s political landscape. As Al Jazeera reported, many high-profile Democrats — including Senator Alex Padilla, Attorney General Rob Bonta, and former Vice President Kamala Harris — declined to enter the race, leaving a fragmented field of contenders.
The Democratic Party convention ended in a stalemate with no candidate clearing the 60 percent threshold for endorsement, and labor unions and environmental groups split their support among multiple candidates.
Strategic Voting and the Swalwell Effect
California’s top-two system created unusual incentives for voters. Kimberly L Nalder, director of the Project for an Informed Electorate at Sacramento State University, told Al Jazeera that Democrats feared a “Republican lockout” — two Republicans advancing to the general election in a state that has not elected a Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006.
“Democrats have been fearful of a double Republican result,” Nalder said. “Many waited until the last moment to gauge who the frontrunners were so they could be most strategic.”
The race was dramatically reshaped in April when Congressman Eric Swalwell, who had been pulling ahead among Democrats, abruptly suspended his campaign and resigned from Congress after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct — allegations he has denied. His downfall scrambled the Democratic field and enabled Becerra’s late surge.
Becerra, a former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and former California Attorney General, had languished near the bottom of polls before mounting a comeback centered on his government experience. His campaign promoted a tongue-in-cheek “hot competence summer” theme.
“Like my parents, I never gave up … and thankfully neither did you,” Becerra told supporters on election night, as reported by NBC News. “While I take nothing for granted, it appears that we are on track to advance to November.”
Hilton’s Trump-Backed Campaign
Hilton, a political commentator, former Fox News host, and former adviser to UK Prime Minister David Cameron, received an endorsement from President Donald Trump that helped consolidate Republican support. His campaign focused on housing affordability, homelessness, public safety, and criticism of what he called “one-party rule” in California.
Tom Steyer, the billionaire environmental activist, spent a record $200 million of his own fortune on the race, casting himself as a progressive outsider. “It might take some time to figure out where this is going,” Steyer told supporters in San Francisco. “We’re going to wait until every ballot is counted.”
Los Angeles Mayoral Race
In the Los Angeles mayoral race, incumbent Karen Bass advanced to the general election but faces a challenging runoff. According to The Guardian, former reality TV star Spencer Pratt was leading progressive City Councilmember Nithya Raman for the second spot on the November ballot.
Bass’s support eroded after she faced criticism for being in Ghana during the deadly January 2025 wildfires that swept across Los Angeles. Pratt, whose Pacific Palisades home burned down in the fires, made Bass’s response to the crisis central to his campaign.
National Implications
The California governor’s race is the highest-profile contest in the 2026 midterm elections, which are being viewed as a referendum on President Trump’s second term. A Republican victory in November would be a seismic political event, breaking a 20-year Democratic hold on the California governorship.
Nalder noted that if voters choose a “traditionally qualified candidate like Becerra, it indicates that Californians are content to keep governing in a similar way.”
What to Watch
With millions of mail-in ballots still to be counted, the final top-two candidates may not be confirmed for days. If Becerra and Hilton advance, the general election will test whether California’s Democratic registration advantage — nearly 2-to-1 — can overcome voter frustration with affordability and homelessness. The results will be closely analyzed for national trends ahead of the November midterms.
This article was compiled from reporting by The Guardian, Al Jazeera, NBC News, and other sources.