California governor's race

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Steve Hilton Advances in California Governor's Race

Republican will face Democrat Xavier Becerra in November

(Newser) - Republican Steve Hilton has advanced to the general election for California governor after making the case that the state desperately needs new leadership following more than 15 years of Democratic dominance. He'll face Democrat Xavier Becerra, a former state attorney general and Biden administration health secretary, whom the AP previously...

Where the California Governor's Race Stands

Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra continue to lead the pack, but the race isn't called

(Newser) - Californians may not know which two candidates will compete for governor for a while. With 56% of the vote counted, nobody—including the AP —is calling Tuesday's primary. However, things are looking good for Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host with the endorsement of President Trump,...

8 Takeaways From Tuesday's Primaries
8 Takeaways From
Tuesday's Primaries
THE RUNDOWN
Jun 3, 2026 6:59 AM CDT

8 Takeaways From Tuesday's Primaries

Elections held in 6 states, including races for Calif. governor, LA mayor, and odd ones in NJ, Montana

(Newser) - Tuesday was primary night in six states , with a high-profile governor's race in California still unresolved as of early Wednesday. A quick roundup of initial results:
  • California governor's race: The gubernatorial faceoff in the Golden State, in which the top two vote-getters from any party will advance to
...

California's Crowded Governor's Primary Still Unresolved

2 Democrats, 1 Republican in the lead

(Newser) - California's crowded primary for governor remained unresolved early Wednesday after three leading candidates tested voters' appetites for an experienced politician or promises of sweeping change, the AP reports. Though votes were still being counted, Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer and Republican Steve Hilton started looking to November, laying...

Poll Shows Clear Frontrunner in Race to Replace Newsom

Xavier Becerra is 'in a very strong position now,' pollster says

(Newser) - Robert F. Kennedy's predecessor may be on course to become Gavin Newsom's successor. Xavier Becerra, who served as health secretary during the Biden administration, is emerging as the frontrunner to replace the California governor, a newly released poll suggests, with just days to go before California's June 2...

California Dems Think Kamala Harris Missed Her Calling

Democrats worry a crowded gubernatorial primary without a clear favorite risks a November shutout

(Newser) - Kamala Harris isn't on California's ballot this year, but her absence is looming over the governor's race. Under the state's top-two primary system, Democrats are staring at an uncomfortable possibility, reports the New York Times : a November matchup that doesn't include their party at all....

Swalwell's Exit From Governor's Race 'Tosses the Table Over'

Departure amid scandal reshapes Democratic field in California, with Porter, Steyer likely benefiting

(Newser) - California's governor's race just became a free-for-all. Eric Swalwell's abrupt exit from the contest— and from Congress —after sexual assault allegations has scrambled the June 2 primary, upending months of assumptions and sending his voters and donors into a spiral, reports the New York Times . Strategists...

Swalwell Suspends Campaign for California Governor

Gubernatorial campaign is off after accusations of sexual misconduct

(Newser) - Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell has suspended his campaign for California governor after he was accused of sexual assault, the AP reports. Swalwell continues to deny the allegations. He said in a social media post Sunday he's suspending his campaign but will fight what he called "serious, false allegations...

Manhattan DA Opens an Investigation Into Swalwell

California Democrat's gubernatorial bid is quickly fizzling; he could face expulsion from the House

(Newser) - Eric Swalwell's rapidly unraveling bid to be California's next governor is now colliding with a criminal probe in New York. The Manhattan district attorney's office said Saturday it has opened an investigation into the congressman after multiple women accused him of sexual assault and other misconduct in...

Trump Endorsement Shakes Up California Race

President backs former Fox host Steve Hilton, and not all GOP strategists will be thrilled

(Newser) - President Trump just added a major new wrinkle to the California governor's race. Trump endorsed former Fox News host Steve Hilton in a Truth Social post on Monday morning, reports the Los Angeles Times . The move is a blow to fellow Republican candidate Chad Bianco, the sheriff of Riverside...

Swalwell Demands FBI Halt Release of Files From Old Probe

Swalwell alleges planned document release is political interference, privacy violation

(Newser) - Rep. Eric Swalwell is trying to stop the FBI from airing out an old, closed investigation as he mounts a run for California governor, the Washington Post reports. Lawyers for the Democrat congressman sent a cease-and-desist letter Monday to FBI Director Kash Patel, demanding the bureau abandon what the attorneys...

USC Scraps All-White California Governor Debate

Candidates of color excluded due to polling numbers as USC, broadcaster clash over criteria

(Newser) - A televised showdown in the race to replace California Gov. Gavin Newsom was scrapped at the last minute amid anger over who made the cut and who didn't—specifically, any people of color, the New York Times reports. The University of Southern California pulled Tuesday's gubernatorial debate less...

There's a New Face in California Governor's Race

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan says other Democrats are too preoccupied with Trump

(Newser) - San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is jumping into California's already packed governor's race, arguing that his own party has been too absorbed with President Trump and not focused enough on problems at home.
  • The moderate Democrat and former tech entrepreneur is positioning himself as a blunt critic of
...

Katie Porter Is in Damage Control Mode

'I could have handled things better,' she says of behavior in viral videos

(Newser) - California gubernatorial hopeful Katie Porter is in damage control mode after videos surfaced showing her sparring with a journalist and berating a staffer—clips that have cast a shadow over the Democrat's campaign to succeed term-limited Gov. Gavin Newsom. In a Tuesday interview on Nexstar's Inside California ...

Testy Interview Has Some Calling for Katie Porter to Exit Governor's Race

Rivals and viewers seize on Porter's tense on-air exchange

(Newser) - A tense on-air exchange has catapulted California gubernatorial candidate Katie Porter into the spotlight—and not in a good way. Porter, former congresswoman and current Democratic frontrunner in the 2026 race to succeed Gov. Gavin Newsom, found herself at the center of a political firestorm this week after a...

Former Fox Host Enters California Race

Steve Hilton says he hopes he'll be running against Kamala Harris for governor

(Newser) - In a surprise move that could shake up California's political landscape, conservative commentator and former Fox News host Steve Hilton has thrown his hat into the ring for the 2026 gubernatorial race, promising a campaign of "positive populism." Hilton will run as a Republican, aiming to...

California Governor's Race Gets a New Entrant

Former US Rep. Katie Porter announces she's running, as Kamala Harris remains undecided

(Newser) - Former Democratic US House member Katie Porter announced Tuesday that she's entering the 2026 contest for California governor, reports the AP , joining a crowded field that could be upended if former Vice President Kamala Harris joins the race. Porter, who became a social media celebrity by brandishing a whiteboard...

Republican Sheriff Announces Bid to Replace Gavin Newsom

Chad Bianco is first major GOP candidate to announce run

(Newser) - Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said Monday he is running for governor of California in 2026, becoming the first major Republican to announce a bid for an election nearly two years away. Bianco, an outspoken supporter of President Trump and his policies, was first elected sheriff in 2018 and has...

Kamala Harris Has Two Big Possible Next Moves

Politico reports she might run for governor of California in 2026 or for president in 2028

(Newser) - So what's next for Kamala Harris? Politico reports that the vice president is making clear in private calls to supporters that she intends to remain in politics. "I am staying in the fight" is her mantra on the calls. The story by Christopher Cadelago and Eugene Daniels reports...

Governor Peter Thiel?
Governor Peter Thiel?
Jan 15, 2017 11:17 AM CST

Governor Peter Thiel?

Insiders say tech billionaire might make a longshot run in California

(Newser) - Perhaps inspired by Donald Trump's rise from business mogul to president-elect, Paypal founder, Gawker slayer, and ardent Trump fan Peter Thiel might be looking to add an unlikely title to his repertoire: That of governor of California, reports Politico , citing "three Republicans familiar with his thinking." While...

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