The race to succeed California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially narrowed to a two-man showdown for November. Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host backed by Donald Trump, will advance to the general election to face Democratic former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
The result narrows down a highly chaotic, crowded primary field and leaves billionaire Democratic contender Tom Steyer out of the running, despite Steyer spending upwards of $200 million of his own money on his gubernatorial bid.
With roughly 88 percent of the votes counted, Becerra led the pack with 27.9 percent of the vote (2,327,363 votes), followed closely by Hilton at 24.9 percent (2,077,310 votes). Steyer finished in third place with 22.6 percent, while Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco drew 10.1 percent, and former Democratic Representative Katie Porter brought in 4.4 percent.
For weeks, Democrats worried that their deep roster of candidates would fracture the party’s vote, potentially opening the door for Hilton and Bianco to sweep the top two spots under California’s primary system. However, Donald Trump’s April endorsement of Hilton helped consolidate the Republican base around a single candidate.
Hilton, who worked in British politics before moving to California in 2012, centered his campaign on the state’s cost of living, explicitly blaming Democratic leaders for high taxes and excessive bureaucracy. He argued that voters are eager for a shift after 16 years of Democratic control in Sacramento.
He faces an incredibly steep climb in the general election. California has not put a Republican in the governor’s mansion since Arnold Schwarzenegger won re-election 20 years ago. Today, registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans in the state by roughly 4.6 million voters.
Becerra, his November opponent, brings a long resume in government, having previously served as a Los Angeles-area U.S. congressman and California’s attorney general. Throughout his campaign, Becerra leaned heavily on this history, telling voters that navigating California’s complex problems requires an experienced hand who has managed large-scale government crises.
His path to the nomination, however, was not without hurdles. Opponents regularly targeted his record during the Biden administration, specifically pointing to his management of the mpox outbreak and the child migrant crisis. Becerra also faced heat after his former chief of staff pleaded guilty to fraud charges for siphoning money out of one of Becerra’s campaign accounts. Law enforcement officials have not accused Becerra of any wrongdoing.
The entire trajectory of the race altered radically back in April when former front-runner Representative Eric Swalwell abruptly dropped out of the contest and resigned from Congress. Swalwell’s exit followed multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, which he strongly denied. The sudden vacuum at the top of the Democratic ticket allowed Becerra to quickly step in, consolidate support, and ultimately secure his spot on the November ballot.
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