Hilton and Becerra lead California governor's race; Steyer faces elimination
Los Angeles Times • • general
Key Points:
- Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra are leading the race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom, with billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer trailing and hoping for late votes to push him into the top two for the November general election.
- Steyer faces a steep challenge, needing about 30% of remaining uncounted votes while Becerra would need to be limited to 15%, making it nearly impossible for Steyer to overtake Becerra.
- Becerra surged after former Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out amid scandal, positioning himself as a resilient underdog and potentially becoming the first elected Latino governor of California.
- The race has been unpredictable and expensive, lacking a clear front-runner and shaped by the absence of heavyweight Democrats like Kamala Harris, with Trump’s endorsement helping Hilton break away among Republicans.
- If Becerra and Hilton advance, Becerra would have a significant advantage in the November election due to California’s Democratic-leaning electorate.