Becerra heads toward the November election with a major edge over Hilton in governor's race, poll shows

Key Points:

• Democrat Xavier Becerra holds a significant lead over Republican Steve Hilton in the California governor race, with 52% support versus Hilton's 31% among registered voters, according to a UC Berkeley poll.
• Becerra enjoys strong backing from Democrats (82%) and also leads among no party preference voters, while Hilton secures about 84% of Republican support, though Republicans are outnumbered by Democrats in the state by 20 points.
• Hilton's endorsement by former President Trump helped him secure the Republican nomination but may hinder him in the general election due to Trump's unpopularity in California, where 69% of voters disapprove of Trump.
• Becerra's rise in the polls followed the withdrawal of Democratic candidate Eric Swalwell amid misconduct allegations, leading to increased support from Democratic voters and interest groups.
• The poll shows Becerra has a favorable image among the electorate, including progressive voters, while Hilton and third-place candidate Tom Steyer have more unfavorable ratings.