2026 California gubernatorial election
The Golden State is gearing up for a pivotal political moment as the 2026 California gubernatorial election approaches. With incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom term-limited, an unprecedentedly wide-open race is unfolding, inviting a diverse array of hopefuls to vie for the state's highest office. This election isn't just about choosing a new leader; it's a fascinating test of California's unique primary system and its deeply entrenched political landscape. California's 'top-two' primary system means the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, advance to the general election, creating a unique dynamic in a heavily Democratic state. The exit of a popular incumbent has sparked a crowded field of candidates from various political backgrounds, eager to shape the future of the nation's most populous state. Early polling and strategic maneuvers highlight the challenges for the dominant Democratic Party, including the possibility of two Republicans advancing to the general election, though the long-term outlook remains strongly Democratic.
AI Summary
The Golden State is gearing up for a pivotal political moment as the 2026 California gubernatorial election approaches. With incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom term-limited, an unprecedentedly wide-open race is unfolding, inviting a diverse array of hopefuls to vie for the state's highest office. This election isn't just about choosing a new leader; it's a fascinating test of California's unique primary system and its deeply entrenched political landscape.
- California's 'top-two' primary system means the two candidates with the most votes, regardless of party, advance to the general election, creating a unique dynamic in a heavily Democratic state.
- The exit of a popular incumbent has sparked a crowded field of candidates from various political backgrounds, eager to shape the future of the nation's most populous state.
- Early polling and strategic maneuvers highlight the challenges for the dominant Democratic Party, including the possibility of two Republicans advancing to the general election, though the long-term outlook remains strongly Democratic.
The Race to Lead California
In November 2026, Californians will head to the polls to elect their next governor. This isn't just any election—it marks the end of an era, as current Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited after serving two terms and cannot seek re-election. His departure opens the door to an exciting, and potentially unpredictable, electoral contest.
California's Unique Primary System
California operates under a 'nonpartisan top-two primary' system. This means that all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, compete on a single primary ballot. The two candidates who receive the most votes, no matter their party, then advance to the general election.
This system can lead to fascinating outcomes, especially in a state as overwhelmingly Democratic as California. If the Democratic vote is too fragmented among many candidates, there's a real possibility that two Republicans could emerge as the top-two finishers in the June 2026 primary, creating an unexpected general election match-up.
Indeed, this scenario has prompted the California Democratic Party to publicly urge lower-polling candidates to withdraw from the race. Their aim is to consolidate support behind stronger contenders and prevent such a split vote that could potentially lock Democrats out of the general election entirely.
A Crowded Field Emerges
With the governor's office wide open, dozens of candidates have already declared their intention to run, reflecting a broad spectrum of political experience and backgrounds. From seasoned politicians to entrepreneurs and academics, the race promises to be a vibrant showcase of diverse aspirations.
Prominent Democratic Hopefuls
Among the declared Democrats are several high-profile figures. Former U.S. Representative Katie Porter, known for her sharp questioning, is a leading voice. She's joined by seasoned politicians like former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell and California State Superintendent Tony Thurmond also bring significant experience to the race.
Other notable Democrats include Farallon Capital founder Tom Steyer, who previously ran for president, and Betty Yee, the California Democratic Party vice chair and former State Controller. This deep bench of candidates underscores the high stakes for the Democratic Party in maintaining control of the state's top office.
Republican Challengers
Despite California's strong Democratic leanings—Republicans haven't won a statewide race since 2006—several notable Republican candidates are stepping forward. Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner Chad Bianco and political commentator Steve Hilton are among those seeking to break the Democratic stronghold.
The Canceled Debate Controversy
An early attempt to streamline the primary conversation hit a snag when a major debate, scheduled for March 2026, was abruptly canceled. The organizers, including USC, KABC-TV, and KMEX-DT, developed a formula based on fundraising and polling data to select only six participants.
This selection process ignited accusations of discrimination, particularly because no non-white candidates qualified. Criticism mounted, especially regarding the inclusion of candidates whose high fundraising seemingly outweighed their lower poll numbers. Despite a defense from USC and scholars, an agreement to expand participation couldn't be reached, leading to the debate's cancellation.
Early Polling Snapshot
Even with a crowded field, early polling provides a glimpse into the primary's potential trajectory. Aggregate polls from February and March 2026 suggest a tight race among the top contenders, with Republicans Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco often appearing at the top, just ahead of leading Democrats.
Source of poll aggregation Dates administered Dates updated Chad Bianco (R) Steve Hilton (R) Eric Swalwell (D) Katie Porter (D) Tom Steyer (D) Xavier Becerra (D) Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Other/ Undecided Margin 270toWin February 23 – March 18, 2026 March 19, 2026 14.6% 15.6% 14.0% 11.4% 10.4% 4.2% 3.8% 26.0% Hilton +1.0% Race to the WH through March 17, 2026 March 26, 2026 14.6% 16.1% 13.3% 11.2% 10.6% 4.3% 3.5% 26.4% Hilton +1.5% RealClearPolitics February 3 – March 15, 2026 March 18, 2026 13.0% 14.7% 13.7% 11.3% 10.3% 4.3% 4.0% 28.7% Hilton +1.0% Average 14.1% 15.5% 13.7% 11.3% 10.4% 4.3% 3.8% 27.0% Hilton +1.4%
These aggregated numbers highlight the fragmentation within the Democratic field. With multiple strong candidates vying for votes, the top-two primary mechanism could indeed see an unexpected pair advancing to the general election, challenging traditional partisan expectations.
General Election Outlook
Despite the intriguing dynamics of the primary, political prognosticators remain confident in California's long-term partisan leanings. Leading election forecasters consistently rate the 2026 California gubernatorial race as a 'Solid D' or 'Safe D' outcome.
Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report Solid D January 23, 2026 Inside Elections Solid D August 28, 2025 Sabato's Crystal Ball Safe D September 4, 2025 Race to the WH Safe D December 7, 2025
This strong prediction suggests that while the primary may be a fiercely contested battle, the general election is widely expected to ultimately favor the Democratic candidate, reflecting the state's deep blue political identity. As the election cycle progresses, all eyes will be on how the crowded primary field narrows and whether the Democratic Party can successfully navigate the top-two system to secure its continued dominance in California's highest office.
Article
2026 California gubernatorial election
An election will be held in the U.S. state of California on November 3, 2026, to elect the next governor of California. The statewide top-two primary election was held on June 2, 2026, with Democrat Xavier Becerra advancing to the general election alongside Republican Steve Hilton. Incumbent Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is ineligible to seek re-election to a third term.
There were 61 candidates on the primary ballot. Republicans have not won a statewide race in California since (/wiki/2006Californiagubernatorialelection).
Candidates
Advanced to general
• Xavier Becerra, former U.S. secretary of health and human services (2021–2025) and attorney general of California (2017–2021)
Eliminated in primary
• Akinyemi Agbede, mathematician and educator • Mohammad Arif, immigrants organizer • Larry Azevedo, businessman • Carolina Buhler, UCLA student • Louis De Barraicua, teacher and business owner • Sophia Edum-a-Sam, project manager • Derek Grasty, Mount Pleasant Elementary School District trustee (2024–present) • Joel Jacob, business owner • Gary Howard Kidgell, building consultant • Matthew Levy, physicist • Matt Mahan, mayor of San Jose (2023–present) • Kalid Meky (write-in) • Barack Obama Shaw, business owner • Thunder Parley, software engineer • Jibri J. Peavy (write-in) • Katie Porter, former U.S. representative from California's 47th congressional district (2019–2025) and candidate for U.S. Senate in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatesSenateelectionsinCalifornia) • Raji Rab, pilot and perennial candidate • Satish Rao, UC Berkeley professor • Scott Shields, executive director • Tom Steyer, environmental activist, founder of Farallon Capital and candidate for president in (/wiki/2020DemocraticPartypresidentialprimaries) • Tony Thurmond, superintendent of public instruction of California (2019–present) • Antonio Villaraigosa, former mayor of Los Angeles (2005–2013), former speaker of the California State Assembly (1998–2000), and candidate for governor in (/wiki/2018Californiagubernatorialelection) • Erin Zezulak, consultant
Withdrawn
• Ethan Agarwal, tech entrepreneur (ran for U.S. House) • Toni Atkins, former president pro tempore of the California State Senate (2018–2024) from the 39th district (2016–2024) and former speaker of the California State Assembly (2012–2016) from the 78th district (2010–2016) (endorsed Steyer) • Ian Calderon, former majority leader of the California Assembly (2016–2020) from the 57th district (2012–2020) (initially endorsed Swalwell) • Stephen Cloobeck, founder of Diamond Resorts (initially endorsed Swalwell) • Zoltan Istvan, founder of the Transhumanist Party, Libertarian candidate for governor in (/wiki/2018Californiagubernatorialelection), and Republican candidate for president in (/wiki/2020RepublicanPartypresidentialprimaries) • Eleni Kounalakis, lieutenant governor of California (2019–present) (running for state treasurer) • Fiona Ma, California state treasurer (2019–present) (running for lieutenant governor) • Eric Swalwell, former U.S. representative from California's 14th congressional district (2013–2026) and candidate for president in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatespresidentialelection) (remained on ballot) • Betty Yee, California Democratic Party vice chair (2021–present) and former California State Controller (2015–2023) (remained on ballot; endorsed Steyer) • Michael Younger, vice president of Calbright College (2021–present) and former deputy secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (2019–2021)
Declined
• Rob Bonta, California Attorney General (2021–present) (running for re-election) • Laphonza Butler, former U.S. senator (2023–2024) • Rick Caruso, founder of Caruso and runner-up for mayor of Los Angeles in (/wiki/2022LosAngelesmayoralelection) (endorsed Mahan) • Kamala Harris, former vice president of the United States (2021–2025), former U.S. senator (2017–2021), and nominee for president in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatespresidentialelection) • Alex Padilla, U.S. senator (2021–present) • Adam Schiff, U.S. senator (2024–present) (initially endorsed Swalwell; then Becerra) • Buffy Wicks, state assemblymember from the 14th district (2018–present)
Advanced to general
• Steve Hilton, political commentator and former adviser to UK prime minister David Cameron (2010–2012)
Eliminated in primary
• Ché Ahn, pastor (write-in) • James Athans Jr., real estate agent • Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner (2019–present) • Patricia De Luca Basualdo, real estate broker • Randeep Dhillon, businessman and farmer • Rafael Hernandez, businessman • Alicia Olivia Lapp • Leo Naranjo IV, veteran • Tim Nelson, diplomat • Gretha Solórzano, retired nuclear engineer • Leo Zacky, vice president of Zacky Farms and candidate for governor in (/wiki/2021Californiagubernatorialrecallelection) and (/wiki/2022Californiagubernatorialelection) • David Zickefoose, real estate investor
Disqualified
• Brandon Jones, marketing agency founder • Jimmy Parker, former judge • Ebony Taylor, business owner
Withdrawn
• Sophia Brink, legislative aide to San Mateo County supervisor David Canepa (endorsed Hilton) • Kyle Langford, construction manager (ran for CA-26 as a Democrat) • David Serpa, real estate business owner and runner-up for California's 39th congressional district in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinCalifornia#District39) • Jon Slavet, tech entrepreneur
Declined
• Mel Gibson, special ambassador to Hollywood (2025–present), actor, and filmmaker • Richard Grenell, special presidential envoy for special missions (2025–present) • Kevin McCarthy, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (2023) from California's 20th congressional district (2007–2023)
Eliminated in primary
• Butch Ware, associate professor and nominee for vice president in (/wiki/2024UnitedStatespresidentialelection) (write-in)
Withdrawn
• Tom Woodard, retired CEO (endorsed Hilton, remained on ballot)
Declined
• Art Olivier, former mayor of Bellflower
Eliminated in primary
• Naomi Bar-Lev, musician and writer • Joseph Cabrera, administrator • Elaine Culotti, entrepreneur • Michael J. Dilger (write-in) • LivingForGod AndCountry DeMott, chaplain • Serge Fiankan, real estate broker • Lukasz Adam Filinski • Max Fomin, business owner • Sean Forbes (write-in) • Don Grundmann, chiropractor • Jon Henderson, business owner • Lewis Herms • Dawit Kellel • Anne Komarovsk, communications executive • Dirk Langer (write-in) • Duane Terrence Loynes Jr., nominee of the American Solidarity Party • Amanda Martin, entrepreneur • Brent Maupin, civil engineer • Daniel Mercuri, author, Republican candidate for governor in (/wiki/2021Californiagubernatorialrecallelection) and (/wiki/2022Californiagubernatorialelection), and candidate for California's 25th congressional district in (/wiki/2020UnitedStatesHouseofRepresentativeselectionsinCalifornia#District25) • Mauro Alberto Orozco, business owner • Reza Safarnejad, business owner • Sam Sandak, filmmaker • Christine Sarmiento, public health nurse • Frederic Schultz, human rights attorney • Margaret Trowe, hospitality worker • Nancy Young, businesswoman
Not on primary ballot
• Leonard Jackson, shipping company CEO • Ryan Tillman, police officer • David Thelen, blogger
Declined
• Nicole Shanahan, attorney and running mate of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the 2024 presidential election
Primary election
Campaign
Sixty-one candidates qualified for the primary ballot. California uses a top-two primary system in which all candidates, regardless of party, appear on the same ballot, with the top two advancing to the general election.
Among Republicans, Riverside County sheriff Chad Bianco and political commentator Steve Hilton emerged as the leading candidates, while the Democratic field remained fragmented. This raised concerns that two Republicans could advance to the general election. Those concerns eased after President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton, increasing the chance of a Democrat making it into the runoff because some Bianco supporters would likely shift their support to Hilton due to Trump's endorsement.
Before Swalwell's exit from the race, polls showed that the three Democrats with the greatest amount of public support were representative Eric Swalwell, hedge fund manager and 2020 presidential candidate Tom Steyer, and former representative Katie Porter. Other notable Democrats running included former mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa, former HHS Secretary and state attorney general Xavier Becerra, mayor of San Jose Matt Mahan, and superintendent of public instruction Tony Thurmond. Former Vice President Kamala Harris and U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla opted against running for governor, despite speculation by the media to the contrary.
Eric Swalwell sexual assault allegations
On April 10, 2026, the San Francisco Chronicle reported allegations from a former staffer who provided credible claims that Swalwell had sexually assaulted her on two occasions. That same day, CNN published additional claims from four women, including one allegation of rape and others describing inappropriate conduct and unsolicited nude photos. CNN reported that it had corroborated the accounts. Swalwell denied all of the allegations and sent cease-and-desist letters to two of the women threatening legal action.
Following the allegations, several staff members resigned from Eric Swalwell's campaign, including co-chairs Jimmy Gomez and Adam Gray. The California Teachers Association revoked its endorsement, while U.S. Senators Adam Schiff and Ruben Gallego also withdrew their support. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi called on Swalwell to end his campaign. By April 11, all of Swalwell's 21 fellow members of Congress previously endorsing him had withdrawn their support. The following day, he announced that he was suspending his campaign for governor. On April 13, Swalwell announced he had plans to resign from Congress, and formally left on April 14.
Fundraising
<table><thead><tr><th colspan="4">Campaign finance reports as of May 31, 2026</th></tr><tr><th>Candidate</th><th>Raised</th><th>Spent</th><th>Cash on Hand</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Xavier Becerra (D)</td><td>$6,051,826</td><td>$9,290,232</td><td>$793,630</td></tr><tr><td>Chad Bianco (R)</td><td>$2,295,579</td><td>$3,328,860</td><td>$952,192</td></tr><tr><td>Steve Hilton (R)</td><td>$7,332,985</td><td>$8,483,462</td><td>$1,724,547</td></tr><tr><td>Matt Mahan (D)</td><td>$15,007,412</td><td>$10,367,538</td><td>$5,021,023</td></tr><tr><td>Katie Porter (D)</td><td>$4,206,459</td><td>$6,959,945</td><td>$764,830</td></tr><tr><td>Tom Steyer (D)</td><td>$164,592,445</td><td>$166,766,233</td><td>$1,286,407</td></tr></tbody></table>
Canceled debate
A debate scheduled for March 24, 2026, hosted by the USC Center for the Political Future, KABC-TV, and KMEX-DT, was ultimately canceled hours before it was set to begin. Using a formula developed by USC political science professor Christian R. Grose that combined fundraising and polling data, only six candidates were invited: Republicans Bianco and Hilton, and Democrats Mahan, Porter, Steyer, and Swalwell. The selection drew criticism from chairs of the black and Latino caucuses, particularly because no nonwhite candidates qualified and because Mahan's strong fundraising offset weaker polling. USC and over 50 scholars defended the formula, but the debate was canceled after organizers could not agree to expand the field.
Polling
<table><thead><tr><th>Source of poll aggregation</th><th>Dates administered</th><th>Dates updated</th><th>Xavier Becerra (D)</th><th>Chad Bianco (R)</th><th>Steve Hilton (R)</th><th>Matt Mahan (D)</th><th>Katie Porter (D)</th><th>Tom Steyer (D)</th><th>Antonio Villaraigosa (D)</th><th>Other/ Undecided</th><th>Margin</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>270toWin</td><td>May 14–31, 2026</td><td>June 2, 2026</td><td>24.0%</td><td>11.0%</td><td>22.3%</td><td>5.1%</td><td>7.3%</td><td>19.9%</td><td>2.7%</td><td>7.7%</td><td>Becerra +1.7%</td></tr><tr><td>Decision Desk HQ</td><td>through May 28, 2026</td><td>June 1, 2026</td><td>24.4%</td><td>10.8%</td><td>23.4%</td><td>5.6%</td><td>7.1%</td><td>18.4%</td><td>2.0%</td><td>8.3%</td><td>Becerra +1.0%</td></tr><tr><td>Race to the WH</td><td>through May 31, 2026</td><td>June 2, 2026</td><td>22.8%</td><td>10.9%</td><td>22.3%</td><td>5.2%</td><td>6.9%</td><td>20.2%</td><td>2.8%</td><td>8.9%</td><td>Becerra +0.5%</td></tr><tr><td>RealClearPolitics</td><td>May 19–31, 2026</td><td>June 1, 2026</td><td>23.6%</td><td>10.9%</td><td>22.9%</td><td>5.0%</td><td>6.8%</td><td>20.9%</td><td>2.2%</td><td>7.7%</td><td>Becerra +0.7%</td></tr><tr><td>FiftyPlusOne</td><td>through May 28, 2026</td><td>June 1, 2026</td><td>21.6%</td><td>11.6%</td><td>22.2%</td><td>6.1%</td><td>8.1%</td><td>19.4%</td><td>—</td><td>11.0%</td><td>Hilton +0.6%</td></tr><tr><td colspan="3">Average</td><td>23.3%</td><td>11.0%</td><td>22.6%</td><td>5.4%</td><td>7.2%</td><td>19.8%</td><td>2.4%</td><td>8.3%</td><td>Becerra +0.7%</td></tr></tbody></table>
Results
Results by county Becerra Hilton Steyer Bianco
<table><thead><tr><th colspan="2">Party</th><th>Candidate</th><th>Votes</th><th>%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Xavier Becerra</th><td>2,591,857</td><td>27.98</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Steve Hilton</th><td>2,277,318</td><td>24.59</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Tom Steyer</th><td>2,110,707</td><td>22.79</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Chad Bianco</th><td>941,708</td><td>10.17</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Katie Porter</th><td>403,908</td><td>4.36</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Matt Mahan</th><td>327,537</td><td>3.54</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Antonio Villaraigosa</th><td>104,107</td><td>1.12</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Tony Thurmond</th><td>63,762</td><td>0.69</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Peace and Freedom</td><th>Ramsey Robinson</th><td>51,803</td><td>0.56</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Betty Yee (withdrawn)</th><td>40,873</td><td>0.44</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Eric Swalwell (withdrawn)</th><td>28,164</td><td>0.30</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Tim Nelson</th><td>23,712</td><td>0.26</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Green</td><th>Butch Ware (write-in)</th><td>22,493</td><td>0.24</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Randeep S. Dhillon</th><td>21,937</td><td>0.24</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Barack D. Obama Shaw</th><td>16,716</td><td>0.18</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Carolina Buhler</th><td>15,013</td><td>0.16</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Leo Samuel Zacky</th><td>14,708</td><td>0.16</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Gretha Solórzano</th><td>12,563</td><td>0.14</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Matthew Chase Levy</th><td>11,059</td><td>0.12</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Libertarian</td><th>Tom Woodard (withdrawn)</th><td>9,328</td><td>0.10</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Erin "Zez" Zezulak</th><td>9,251</td><td>0.10</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Louis A. De Barraicua</th><td>8,851</td><td>0.10</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Mohammad Arif</th><td>8,458</td><td>0.09</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Leo Naranjo IV</th><td>8,099</td><td>0.09</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Nancy D. Young</th><td>7,012</td><td>0.08</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>James Athans Jr.</th><td>6,633</td><td>0.07</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Joseph Cabrera</th><td>6,196</td><td>0.07</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>David Zickefoose</th><td>5,882</td><td>0.06</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Satish Rao</th><td>5,668</td><td>0.06</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Christine R. Sarmiento</th><td>5,643</td><td>0.06</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Jon Henderson</th><td>5,589</td><td>0.06</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Alicia Olivia Lapp</th><td>5,370</td><td>0.06</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Amanda Martin</th><td>5,234</td><td>0.06</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Frederic C. Schultz</th><td>5,230</td><td>0.06</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Rafael M. Hernandez</th><td>5,223</td><td>0.06</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Scott P. Shields</th><td>5,043</td><td>0.05</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Derek Grasty</th><td>4,994</td><td>0.05</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Larry Azevedo</th><td>4,675</td><td>0.05</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Elaine Culotti</th><td>4,483</td><td>0.05</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Patricia De Luca Basualdo</th><td>4,064</td><td>0.04</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Mauro Alberto Orozco</th><td>4,052</td><td>0.04</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Raji Rab</th><td>3,606</td><td>0.04</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Sophia Edum-a-Sam</th><td>3,550</td><td>0.04</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Brent Maupin</th><td>3,132</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Akinyemi Agbede</th><td>3,037</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Lewis Herms</th><td>2,995</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Naomi Bar-Lev</th><td>2,744</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Daniel Mercuri</th><td>2,667</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Republican</td><th>Ché Ahn (write-in)</th><td>2,419</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Gary Howard Kidgell</th><td>2,415</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Joel E. Jacob</th><td>2,350</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Thunder Parley</th><td>2,320</td><td>0.03</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Margaret Trowe</th><td>2,286</td><td>0.02</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>LivingForGod AndCountry DeMott</th><td>2,206</td><td>0.02</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Reza Safarnejad</th><td>1,990</td><td>0.02</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Duane Terrence Loynes Jr.</th><td>1,905</td><td>0.02</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Don J. Grundmann</th><td>1,903</td><td>0.02</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Anne Komarovsk</th><td>1,535</td><td>0.02</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Dawit Kellel</th><td>1,360</td><td>0.01</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Sam Sandak</th><td>1,222</td><td>0.01</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Max Fomin</th><td>842</td><td>0.01</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Lukasz Adam Filinski</th><td>527</td><td>0.01</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Serge Fiankan</th><td>488</td><td>0.01</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Sean Forbes (write-in)</th><td>22</td><td>0.00</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Jibri J. Peavy (write-in)</th><td>10</td><td>0.00</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Dirk Langer (write-in)</th><td>8</td><td>0.00</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Democratic</td><th>Kalid Meky (write-in)</th><td>5</td><td>0.00</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>No party preference</td><th>Michael J. Dilger (write-in)</th><td>1</td><td>0.00</td></tr><tr><th colspan="3">Total votes</th><td>9,262,468</td><td>100.00</td></tr><tr><th colspan="3">Turnout</th><td>9,446,461</td><td>40.80</td></tr><tr><th colspan="3">Registered electors</th><td>23,155,447</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>
By county
<table><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">County</th><th colspan="2">Xavier Becerra Democratic</th><th colspan="2">Steve Hilton Republican</th><th colspan="2">Tom Steyer Democratic</th><th colspan="2">Chad Bianco Republican</th><th colspan="2">Various candidates Various parties</th><th colspan="2">Margin</th><th rowspan="2">Total votes</th></tr><tr><th>#</th><th>%</th><th>#</th><th>%</th><th>#</th><th>%</th><th>#</th><th>%</th><th>#</th><th>%</th><th>#</th><th>%</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><th>Alameda</th><td>114,210</td><td>32.10%</td><td>35,420</td><td>9.95%</td><td>120,890</td><td>33.98%</td><td>10,230</td><td>2.88%</td><td>75,050</td><td>21.09%</td><td>6,680</td><td>1.88%</td><td>355,800</td></tr><tr><th>Alpine</th><td>145</td><td>29.53%</td><td>130</td><td>26.48%</td><td>110</td><td>22.40%</td><td>35</td><td>7.13%</td><td>71</td><td>14.46%</td><td>15</td><td>3.05%</td><td>491</td></tr><tr><th>Amador</th><td>3,120</td><td>18.21%</td><td>7,210</td><td>42.09%</td><td>2,450</td><td>14.30%</td><td>2,110</td><td>12.32%</td><td>2,240</td><td>13.08%</td><td>4,090</td><td>23.88%</td><td>17,130</td></tr><tr><th>Butte</th><td>15,200</td><td>21.32%</td><td>24,110</td><td>33.82%</td><td>13,420</td><td>18.82%</td><td>8,450</td><td>11.85%</td><td>10,110</td><td>14.19%</td><td>8,910</td><td>12.50%</td><td>71,290</td></tr><tr><th>Calaveras</th><td>3,410</td><td>16.79%</td><td>8,920</td><td>43.92%</td><td>2,540</td><td>12.51%</td><td>2,810</td><td>13.84%</td><td>2,630</td><td>12.94%</td><td>5,510</td><td>27.13%</td><td>20,310</td></tr><tr><th>Colusa</th><td>980</td><td>19.14%</td><td>2,150</td><td>41.99%</td><td>620</td><td>12.11%</td><td>740</td><td>14.45%</td><td>630</td><td>12.31%</td><td>1,170</td><td>22.85%</td><td>5,120</td></tr><tr><th>Contra Costa</th><td>94,110</td><td>31.23%</td><td>61,420</td><td>20.38%</td><td>82,350</td><td>27.33%</td><td>18,220</td><td>6.05%</td><td>45,210</td><td>15.01%</td><td>11,760</td><td>3.90%</td><td>301,310</td></tr><tr><th>Del Norte</th><td>1,420</td><td>20.11%</td><td>2,890</td><td>40.93%</td><td>1,110</td><td>15.72%</td><td>840</td><td>11.90%</td><td>800</td><td>11.34%</td><td>1,470</td><td>20.82%</td><td>7,060</td></tr><tr><th>El Dorado</th><td>15,420</td><td>19.80%</td><td>31,450</td><td>40.38%</td><td>12,110</td><td>15.55%</td><td>9,820</td><td>12.61%</td><td>9,080</td><td>11.66%</td><td>16,030</td><td>20.58%</td><td>77,880</td></tr><tr><th>Fresno</th><td>10,132</td><td>16.51%</td><td>19,149</td><td>31.20%</td><td>11,748</td><td>19.14%</td><td>11,574</td><td>18.86%</td><td>8,774</td><td>14.29%</td><td>7,401</td><td>12.06%</td><td>61,377</td></tr><tr><th>Glenn</th><td>1,110</td><td>15.59%</td><td>3,210</td><td>45.08%</td><td>740</td><td>10.39%</td><td>1,220</td><td>17.13%</td><td>840</td><td>11.81%</td><td>1,990</td><td>27.95%</td><td>7,120</td></tr><tr><th>Humboldt</th><td>14,210</td><td>29.11%</td><td>10,230</td><td>20.96%</td><td>15,310</td><td>31.37%</td><td>2,410</td><td>4.94%</td><td>6,650</td><td>13.62%</td><td>1,100</td><td>2.25%</td><td>48,810</td></tr><tr><th>Imperial</th><td>11,200</td><td>41.19%</td><td>5,420</td><td>19.93%</td><td>4,110</td><td>15.12%</td><td>2,890</td><td>10.63%</td><td>3,570</td><td>13.13%</td><td>5,780</td><td>21.26%</td><td>27,190</td></tr><tr><th>Inyo</th><td>1,210</td><td>21.08%</td><td>2,150</td><td>37.46%</td><td>940</td><td>16.38%</td><td>710</td><td>12.37%</td><td>730</td><td>12.71%</td><td>940</td><td>16.38%</td><td>5,740</td></tr><tr><th>Kern</th><td>32,450</td><td>22.42%</td><td>51,220</td><td>35.39%</td><td>18,910</td><td>13.07%</td><td>26,450</td><td>18.28%</td><td>15,690</td><td>10.84%</td><td>24,770</td><td>17.12%</td><td>144,720</td></tr><tr><th>Kings</th><td>4,810</td><td>22.10%</td><td>8,420</td><td>38.69%</td><td>2,610</td><td>11.99%</td><td>3,920</td><td>18.01%</td><td>2,000</td><td>9.21%</td><td>4,500</td><td>20.68%</td><td>21,760</td></tr><tr><th>Lake</th><td>5,120</td><td>27.22%</td><td>6,110</td><td>32.48%</td><td>4,210</td><td>22.38%</td><td>1,320</td><td>7.02%</td><td>2,050</td><td>10.90%</td><td>990</td><td>5.26%</td><td>18,810</td></tr><tr><th>Lassen</th><td>840</td><td>11.32%</td><td>3,890</td><td>52.43%</td><td>620</td><td>8.36%</td><td>1,210</td><td>16.31%</td><td>860</td><td>11.58%</td><td>2,680</td><td>36.12%</td><td>7,420</td></tr><tr><th>Los Angeles</th><td>685,420</td><td>31.19%</td><td>452,110</td><td>20.57%</td><td>504,890</td><td>22.98%</td><td>164,800</td><td>7.50%</td><td>390,200</td><td>17.76%</td><td>180,530</td><td>8.22%</td><td>2,197,420</td></tr><tr><th>Madera</th><td>7,210</td><td>21.63%</td><td>12,450</td><td>37.34%</td><td>4,210</td><td>12.63%</td><td>5,890</td><td>17.67%</td><td>3,580</td><td>10.73%</td><td>6,560</td><td>19.68%</td><td>33,340</td></tr><tr><th>Marin</th><td>28,420</td><td>31.15%</td><td>11,210</td><td>12.29%</td><td>41,250</td><td>45.21%</td><td>2,110</td><td>2.31%</td><td>8,250</td><td>9.04%</td><td>12,830</td><td>14.06%</td><td>91,240</td></tr><tr><th>Mariposa</th><td>1,410</td><td>19.29%</td><td>3,110</td><td>42.54%</td><td>1,120</td><td>15.32%</td><td>1,020</td><td>13.95%</td><td>650</td><td>8.90%</td><td>1,700</td><td>23.26%</td><td>7,310</td></tr><tr><th>Mendocino</th><td>8,420</td><td>29.52%</td><td>6,120</td><td>21.46%</td><td>9,890</td><td>34.68%</td><td>1,120</td><td>3.93%</td><td>2,970</td><td>10.41%</td><td>1,470</td><td>5.15%</td><td>28,520</td></tr><tr><th>Merced</th><td>15,210</td><td>31.39%</td><td>14,220</td><td>29.34%</td><td>7,210</td><td>14.88%</td><td>6,420</td><td>13.25%</td><td>5,400</td><td>11.14%</td><td>990</td><td>2.04%</td><td>48,460</td></tr><tr><th>Modoc</th><td>240</td><td>9.80%</td><td>1,320</td><td>53.88%</td><td>185</td><td>7.55%</td><td>410</td><td>16.73%</td><td>295</td><td>12.04%</td><td>910</td><td>37.14%</td><td>2,450</td></tr><tr><th>Mono</th><td>940</td><td>26.48%</td><td>1,120</td><td>31.55%</td><td>840</td><td>23.66%</td><td>250</td><td>7.04%</td><td>400</td><td>11.27%</td><td>180</td><td>5.07%</td><td>3,550</td></tr><tr><th>Monterey</th><td>31,450</td><td>35.53%</td><td>18,210</td><td>20.57%</td><td>22,410</td><td>25.32%</td><td>5,420</td><td>6.12%</td><td>11,030</td><td>12.46%</td><td>9,040</td><td>10.21%</td><td>88,520</td></tr><tr><th>Napa</th><td>12,410</td><td>29.31%</td><td>10,230</td><td>24.16%</td><td>13,110</td><td>30.96%</td><td>2,150</td><td>5.08%</td><td>4,440</td><td>10.49%</td><td>700</td><td>1.65%</td><td>42,340</td></tr><tr><th>Nevada</th><td>11,200</td><td>24.70%</td><td>15,210</td><td>33.55%</td><td>12,420</td><td>27.39%</td><td>2,890</td><td>6.37%</td><td>6,620</td><td>14.60%</td><td>2,790</td><td>6.15%</td><td>45,340</td></tr><tr><th>Orange</th><td>145,340</td><td>21.51%</td><td>216,220</td><td>31.99%</td><td>121,680</td><td>18.00%</td><td>86,500</td><td>12.80%</td><td>106,090</td><td>15.70%</td><td>70,880</td><td>10.49%</td><td>675,830</td></tr><tr><th>Placer</th><td>31,420</td><td>20.20%</td><td>64,210</td><td>41.28%</td><td>26,110</td><td>16.79%</td><td>18,230</td><td>11.72%</td><td>15,570</td><td>10.01%</td><td>32,790</td><td>21.08%</td><td>155,540</td></tr><tr><th>Plumas</th><td>1,620</td><td>18.49%</td><td>3,820</td><td>43.61%</td><td>1,310</td><td>14.95%</td><td>1,110</td><td>12.67%</td><td>910</td><td>10.39%</td><td>2,200</td><td>25.11%</td><td>8,760</td></tr><tr><th>Riverside</th><td>109,487</td><td>26.13%</td><td>86,354</td><td>20.61%</td><td>68,266</td><td>16.29%</td><td>112,400</td><td>26.83%</td><td>42,503</td><td>10.14%</td><td>2,913</td><td>0.70%</td><td>419,010</td></tr><tr><th>Sacramento</th><td>112,450</td><td>33.10%</td><td>85,340</td><td>25.12%</td><td>71,420</td><td>21.02%</td><td>31,260</td><td>9.20%</td><td>39,310</td><td>11.57%</td><td>27,110</td><td>7.98%</td><td>339,780</td></tr><tr><th>San Benito</th><td>4,890</td><td>32.80%</td><td>3,820</td><td>25.62%</td><td>3,210</td><td>21.53%</td><td>1,420</td><td>9.52%</td><td>1,570</td><td>10.53%</td><td>1,070</td><td>7.18%</td><td>14,910</td></tr><tr><th>San Bernardino</th><td>84,210</td><td>24.46%</td><td>108,420</td><td>31.50%</td><td>52,110</td><td>15.14%</td><td>63,420</td><td>18.42%</td><td>36,050</td><td>10.47%</td><td>45,000</td><td>13.07%</td><td>344,210</td></tr><tr><th>San Diego</th><td>185,210</td><td>24.12%</td><td>210,430</td><td>27.41%</td><td>162,100</td><td>21.11%</td><td>68,320</td><td>8.90%</td><td>141,680</td><td>18.45%</td><td>25,220</td><td>3.29%</td><td>767,740</td></tr><tr><th>San Francisco</th><td>68,110</td><td>29.51%</td><td>14,310</td><td>6.20%</td><td>105,220</td><td>45.58%</td><td>4,286</td><td>1.86%</td><td>38,904</td><td>16.85%</td><td>37,110</td><td>16.08%</td><td>230,830</td></tr><tr><th>San Joaquin</th><td>45,210</td><td>30.12%</td><td>43,890</td><td>29.24%</td><td>24,110</td><td>16.06%</td><td>19,230</td><td>12.81%</td><td>17,680</td><td>11.78%</td><td>1,320</td><td>0.88%</td><td>150,120</td></tr><tr><th>San Luis Obispo</th><td>24,120</td><td>26.29%</td><td>28,450</td><td>31.02%</td><td>22,110</td><td>24.10%</td><td>7,230</td><td>7.88%</td><td>9,820</td><td>10.71%</td><td>4,330</td><td>4.73%</td><td>91,730</td></tr><tr><th>San Mateo</th><td>68,420</td><td>33.09%</td><td>31,450</td><td>15.21%</td><td>78,920</td><td>38.17%</td><td>6,210</td><td>3.00%</td><td>21,750</td><td>10.52%</td><td>10,500</td><td>5.08%</td><td>206,750</td></tr><tr><th>Santa Barbara</th><td>34,210</td><td>30.25%</td><td>31,210</td><td>27.59%</td><td>28,420</td><td>25.13%</td><td>8,420</td><td>7.44%</td><td>10,850</td><td>9.59%</td><td>3,000</td><td>2.66%</td><td>113,110</td></tr><tr><th>Santa Clara</th><td>142,110</td><td>32.82%</td><td>68,420</td><td>15.80%</td><td>158,210</td><td>36.54%</td><td>15,340</td><td>3.54%</td><td>48,940</td><td>11.30%</td><td>16,100</td><td>3.72%</td><td>433,020</td></tr><tr><th>Santa Cruz</th><td>24,210</td><td>31.22%</td><td>9,110</td><td>11.75%</td><td>34,120</td><td>44.00%</td><td>1,840</td><td>2.37%</td><td>8,260</td><td>10.65%</td><td>9,910</td><td>12.78%</td><td>77,540</td></tr><tr><th>Shasta</th><td>9,210</td><td>14.78%</td><td>28,450</td><td>45.66%</td><td>6,110</td><td>9.81%</td><td>11,230</td><td>18.02%</td><td>7,310</td><td>11.73%</td><td>17,220</td><td>27.64%</td><td>62,310</td></tr><tr><th>Sierra</th><td>210</td><td>15.56%</td><td>620</td><td>45.93%</td><td>195</td><td>14.44%</td><td>180</td><td>13.33%</td><td>145</td><td>10.74%</td><td>410</td><td>30.37%</td><td>1,350</td></tr><tr><th>Siskiyou</th><td>3,110</td><td>19.32%</td><td>6,940</td><td>43.11%</td><td>2,150</td><td>13.35%</td><td>2,420</td><td>15.03%</td><td>1,480</td><td>9.19%</td><td>4,520</td><td>28.08%</td><td>16,100</td></tr><tr><th>Solano</th><td>32,410</td><td>32.50%</td><td>24,150</td><td>24.22%</td><td>23,120</td><td>23.18%</td><td>8,420</td><td>8.44%</td><td>11,630</td><td>11.66%</td><td>8,260</td><td>8.28%</td><td>99,730</td></tr><tr><th>Sonoma</th><td>48,210</td><td>30.09%</td><td>28,410</td><td>17.73%</td><td>62,110</td><td>38.76%</td><td>6,120</td><td>3.82%</td><td>15,380</td><td>9.60%</td><td>13,900</td><td>8.67%</td><td>160,230</td></tr><tr><th>Stanislaus</th><td>31,450</td><td>28.48%</td><td>36,420</td><td>32.99%</td><td>17,210</td><td>15.59%</td><td>14,350</td><td>13.00%</td><td>10,980</td><td>9.94%</td><td>4,970</td><td>4.51%</td><td>110,410</td></tr><tr><th>Sutter</th><td>5,120</td><td>19.23%</td><td>11,210</td><td>42.11%</td><td>3,110</td><td>11.68%</td><td>4,210</td><td>15.82%</td><td>2,970</td><td>11.16%</td><td>7,000</td><td>26.29%</td><td>26,620</td></tr><tr><th>Tehama</th><td>3,120</td><td>15.41%</td><td>9,210</td><td>45.48%</td><td>2,110</td><td>10.42%</td><td>3,640</td><td>17.98%</td><td>2,170</td><td>10.72%</td><td>5,570</td><td>27.50%</td><td>20,250</td></tr><tr><th>Trinity</th><td>910</td><td>21.02%</td><td>1,740</td><td>40.18%</td><td>740</td><td>17.09%</td><td>510</td><td>11.78%</td><td>430</td><td>9.93%</td><td>830</td><td>19.16%</td><td>4,330</td></tr><tr><th>Tulare</th><td>18,210</td><td>22.10%</td><td>27,450</td><td>33.31%</td><td>10,210</td><td>12.49%</td><td>19,230</td><td>23.33%</td><td>7,310</td><td>8.87%</td><td>8,220</td><td>10.02%</td><td>82,410</td></tr><tr><th>Tuolumne</th><td>3,920</td><td>19.32%</td><td>8,910</td><td>43.91%</td><td>2,890</td><td>14.24%</td><td>2,610</td><td>12.86%</td><td>1,960</td><td>9.66%</td><td>6,020</td><td>29.67%</td><td>20,290</td></tr><tr><th>Ventura</th><td>62,450</td><td>28.47%</td><td>61,210</td><td>27.91%</td><td>48,230</td><td>21.99%</td><td>24,110</td><td>10.99%</td><td>23,320</td><td>10.63%</td><td>1,240</td><td>0.56%</td><td>219,320</td></tr><tr><th>Yolo</th><td>18,210</td><td>33.10%</td><td>10,240</td><td>18.61%</td><td>19,450</td><td>35.36%</td><td>2,150</td><td>3.91%</td><td>4,960</td><td>9.02%</td><td>1,240</td><td>2.26%</td><td>55,010</td></tr><tr><th>Yuba</th><td>3,110</td><td>18.07%</td><td>7,422</td><td>43.13%</td><td>2,110</td><td>12.26%</td><td>2,740</td><td>15.92%</td><td>1,828</td><td>10.62%</td><td>4,312</td><td>25.06%</td><td>17,210</td></tr><tr><th>Totals</th><td>2,591,857</td><td>27.97%</td><td>2,277,318</td><td>24.59%</td><td>2,110,707</td><td>22.79%</td><td>941,708</td><td>10.17%</td><td>1,340,878</td><td>14.48%</td><td>314,539</td><td>3.38%</td><td>9,262,468</td></tr></tbody></table>
General election
Predictions
<table><thead><tr><th>Source</th><th>Ranking</th><th>As of</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Inside Elections</td><td>Solid D</td><td>August 28, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Race to the WH</td><td>Safe D</td><td>June 19, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Fox News</td><td>Solid D</td><td>July 23, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>RealClearPolitics</td><td>Solid D</td><td>June 5, 2026</td></tr><tr><td>Sabato's Crystal Ball</td><td>Safe D</td><td>September 4, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>The Cook Political Report</td><td>Solid D</td><td>September 11, 2025</td></tr></tbody></table>
Polling
<table><thead><tr><th>Poll source</th><th>Date(s) administered</th><th>Sample size</th><th>Margin of error</th><th>Xavier Becerra (D)</th><th>Steve Hilton (R)</th><th>Other</th><th>Undecided</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Berkeley IGS</td><td>August 3–9, 2026</td><td>2,310 (LV)</td><td>± 2.5%</td><td>55%</td><td>37%</td><td>–</td><td>8%</td></tr><tr><td>PPIC</td><td>June 29 – July 6, 2026</td><td>1,003 (LV)</td><td>± 3.8%</td><td>61%</td><td>36%</td><td>–</td><td>2%</td></tr><tr><td>Kreate Strategies</td><td>June 13–17, 2026</td><td>900 (LV)</td><td>± 3.3%</td><td>58%</td><td>33%</td><td>–</td><td>8%</td></tr><tr><td>CEPP</td><td>May 23–26, 2026</td><td>735 (LV)</td><td>± 3.6%</td><td>58%</td><td>35%</td><td>2%</td><td>5%</td></tr><tr><td>Berkeley IGS</td><td>May 19–24, 2026</td><td>8,578 (RV)</td><td>± 2.0%</td><td>52%</td><td>31%</td><td>–</td><td>17%</td></tr></tbody></table>