California 2026 Poll: Becerra Continues to Surge, Steyer and Hilton Compete for Second Spot
- Emerson Polling • • nation
Key Points:
- In the California gubernatorial primary, Xavier Becerra leads with 19% support, followed closely by Steve Hilton and Tom Steyer at 17% each, with 12% of voters still undecided.
- Becerra's support has increased by nine points since mid-April, particularly among Democratic voters, while Steyer's support rose by three points, and Hilton's remained steady.
- In the Los Angeles mayoral primary, incumbent Karen Bass leads with 30% support, followed by Spencer Pratt at 22% and Nithya Raman at 19%, with undecided voters dropping significantly from 51% to 16%.
- There is a notable age divide in the mayoral race: voters over 60 favor Bass (47%), while those under 40 prefer Raman (31%), and gender differences show women mostly support Bass, whereas men lean toward Pratt.
- The top issues for Californians are the economy (42%), housing affordability (21%), threats to democracy (9%), immigration (8%), healthcare (7%), and crime (6%), according to the Emerson College Polling survey conducted in May 2026.