Becerra and Hilton set for California governor general election matchup
Becerra and Hilton advance to California's gubernatorial general election after the primary.
Event / Politics
California Governor Race 2026
Democratic primary results in California's 2026 gubernatorial election, with Xavier Becerra advancing to the general election. The race features high spending and competition between Democrats and Republicans in this major state election.
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2026-08-16 to 2026-11-13 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 3 Jun, 17:05 UTC
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What happened
Xavier Becerra wins California gubernatorial primary with 27.9% of vote
Democrat Xavier Becerra, former President Joe Biden's health and human services secretary, won the California gubernatorial primary with 27.9% of the vote and advanced to the November general election.
Tom Steyer fails to advance from California gubernatorial primary
Democratic candidate Tom Steyer, who spent more than $216 million of his personal fortune on his campaign, did not qualify for the November general election after finishing outside the top two in California's open primary.
Matt Mahan, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Katie Porter withdraw from California governor race
Candidates Matt Mahan, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Katie Porter dropped out of the California gubernatorial race after early primary results were announced, conceding the contest to the top two finalists.
Trump endorses Steve Hilton for California governor
President Donald Trump endorsed conservative commentator Steve Hilton for California governor in April, providing backing that helped Hilton consolidate support among Republican voters in the primary.
Steve Hilton advances to California gubernatorial general election with 25% primary vote
Conservative commentator Steve Hilton, endorsed by President Donald Trump, received 25% of the vote in California's open primary election, finishing in second place. With 88% of votes counted, he advanced to the November general election to face Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra, who garnered 27.9% of the vote.
Eric Swalwell's gubernatorial campaign suspended over sexual misconduct allegations
Democrat Eric Swalwell's campaign for California governor was suspended following sexual misconduct allegations against the former representative. His exit from the race allowed other Democratic candidates, particularly Xavier Becerra, to emerge as top contenders in the primary.
President Trump endorses Republican Steve Hilton for California governor
President Donald Trump endorsed Republican Steve Hilton in the California gubernatorial race in April 2026. Trump described Hilton as a 'truly fine man' and criticized the state's Democratic leadership, stating that California 'has gone to Hell' under Governor Gavin Newsom and the Democrats, citing issues including people fleeing the state, increasing crime, and high taxes.
Tom Steyer finishes third in California gubernatorial primary
Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer finished in third place in California's 2026 gubernatorial primary election held June 2, 2026, receiving 22.36% of the vote (1,759,328 votes). Despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars on his campaign, including extensive television advertising, Steyer was unable to secure a top-two finish to advance to the general election.
Republican Steve Hilton advances to California gubernatorial general election
Republican Steve Hilton advanced to the general election in California's 2026 gubernatorial race after the primary election held on June 2, 2026. With vote counts still ongoing as of June 8, 2026, Hilton received 25.10% of the vote (1,975,062 votes), finishing ahead of Democrat Tom Steyer who received 22.36% of the vote. Hilton will face Democrat Xavier Becerra, the former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, who received 27.67% of the vote (2,177,556 votes) in the primary.
Steve Hilton criticizes California's slow ballot counting process
Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton criticized California's vote counting process in the days following the June 2, 2026 primary election. Nearly a week after election day, with ballots still being counted, Hilton stated that 'the world is laughing' at California's 'inability to count votes in a timely manner' and called for faster ballot processing, proposing an Election Count Accelerator Fund to give counties more resources.
Xavier Becerra advances in California gubernatorial primary
Democrat Xavier Becerra, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services under the Biden administration, advanced in California's 2026 gubernatorial primary election held June 2, 2026. Becerra received 27.67% of the vote (2,177,556 votes), finishing ahead of Republican Steve Hilton who received 25.10%. Becerra became a top contender following Democrat Eric Swalwell's campaign suspension amid sexual misconduct allegations.
California gubernatorial primary uses top-two system with no party preference limitation
California's 2026 gubernatorial primary used the state's unusual top-two primary system where all candidates, regardless of party, appear on a single ballot open to any registered voter. The top two vote-getters advance to the general election, regardless of party affiliation. This was the first wide-open primary of this type since the late 1990s.
Major California Democrats opt out of gubernatorial race
Several high-profile California Democrats chose not to enter the 2026 gubernatorial race, including former Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla, and California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Incumbent Governor Gavin Newsom is term-limited and widely thought to be running for president in 2028.
Xavier Becerra advances to California gubernatorial general election
Democrat Xavier Becerra advanced to the general election for California governor after the primary held on June 6, 2026. The Associated Press called the race for Becerra at 7:50 p.m. EDT, securing approximately 26.7% of the vote with 1,681,230 votes. Becerra, a former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and California Attorney General, surged in the final months of the campaign after polling in single digits in April.
Becerra pledges emergency declarations for energy costs, housing, and insurance rates
If elected, Xavier Becerra said he would declare states of emergency to address California's high energy costs and housing shortages and would freeze home insurance rates. These policy proposals focused on affordability challenges facing the state.
Steve Hilton receives Trump endorsement in California gubernatorial race
Republican businessman Steve Hilton received an endorsement from President Trump in April 2026 for the California gubernatorial primary. Hilton, a British-born former Fox News commentator who also served as political adviser to former British Prime Minister David Cameron, campaigned on implementing change in California after 16 years under total Democratic control.
California gubernatorial primary second-place spot undecided between Hilton and Steyer
As of the evening of June 6, 2026, the second spot in California's gubernatorial general election remained undecided between Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Tom Steyer. Hilton held 26.4% of the vote with 1,666,522 votes, while Steyer had 21% with 1,328,712 votes, with 67% of votes counted. Approximately 3.5 million uncounted ballots remained, with California continuing to count mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day for up to seven days after the primary.
Eric Swalwell withdraws from California gubernatorial race over sexual assault allegations
Then-U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell's campaign for California governor imploded in April 2026 amid allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Swalwell had been gaining in polls with high-profile endorsements before the accusations surfaced. He resigned from Congress shortly after the allegations emerged and denied the assault allegations. His exit from the race appeared to primarily benefit Xavier Becerra.
Becerra faces scrutiny over HHS pandemic and migrant children crisis response
During the campaign, Xavier Becerra's rivals scrutinized his leadership as Health and Human Services Secretary during the COVID-19 pandemic and the unaccompanied migrant children crisis in 2021. Some HHS shelters housing migrant children were criticized as having inadequate living conditions, and there were concerns about authorities failing to thoroughly vet sponsors with whom some children were placed.
Xavier Becerra would be first Latino California governor since late 1800s
If elected governor, Xavier Becerra would become the first Latino to hold the California governorship since the late 1800s. California is one of the nation's most diverse states, yet almost all its governors have been white men.
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2 alternative perspectives
Swalwell suspends California gubernatorial campaign over misconduct allegations
Eric Swalwell withdraws from California governor race after sexual assault allegations surface.
Steyer finishes third in California's competitive gubernatorial primary
Tom Steyer placed third in California's gubernatorial primary despite spending $213 million.
Hilton advances to general election with Trump's backing
Hilton advances to gubernatorial general election carrying Trump's endorsement and criticizing ballot counting delays.
GOP faces steep California headwinds in competitive 2026 governor race
California Republicans confront two decades of electoral losses and state fiscal challenges in 2026 governor race.
Becerra faces mounting scrutiny over pandemic and border response record
Becerra faces pandemic and border crisis scrutiny as general election campaign begins.
Steyer's $213 Million Spend Reshapes California Governor Race Dynamics
Steyer's $213 million spending and Democratic withdrawals reshaped California's gubernatorial campaign field dynamics.
Becerra clinches general election spot, positions himself against Trump
Becerra advances to general election, positions himself against Trump with emergency declarations.
California primary voting relies on mail ballots, jungle primary system
California primary voting relies on jungle primary format and extended mail ballot deadlines.
Diverse Candidates Shape California's 2026 Gubernatorial Field
Hilton leads California's diverse gubernatorial field with Trump's backing.
Democratic mail ballot returns lag in California's primary election
Democratic mail ballot returns trail historical levels in California's primary despite seven-day deadline extension.
California primary produces mixed congressional race outcomes across state
Primary elections advanced diverse congressional candidates across California districts redrawn through voter-approved redistricting.