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California's Crowded Gubernatorial Primary Nears Conclusion

Politics15h ago
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Voting concludes Tuesday in California's top-two primary, where the two candidates with the most votes will advance to the general election. With Governor Gavin Newsom term-limited, a field of roughly 60 candidates is competing, including prominent Democrats like Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer and Republicans like Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco. Early turnout data shows 13% of voters have already cast ballots.

Facts First

  • Voting concludes Tuesday in California's gubernatorial primary, which uses a top-two system.
  • The field includes roughly 60 candidates vying to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom.
  • Recent polls show Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton each with about 20% support among likely voters.
  • As of Friday, 13% of registered voters had cast ballots, with Republicans voting at a slightly higher rate than Democrats.
  • Major candidates are holding final campaign events across the state ahead of the primary.

What Happened

The California gubernatorial primary voting period concludes on Tuesday. The state uses a top-two primary system, where the two candidates receiving the most votes will face off in the general election. The field includes approximately 60 candidates on a single ballot. Democratic candidates include former U.S. Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, former presidential candidate Tom Steyer, former Congresswoman Katie Porter, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. Republican candidates include former Fox News host Steve Hilton, who is backed by former President Donald Trump, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco. As of Friday afternoon, 13% of California's approximately 23 million registered voters had cast their ballots.

Why this Matters to You

If you are a California voter, you have until Tuesday to cast your ballot in a primary that will determine which two candidates compete to lead the state. The outcome could shape policies on a wide range of issues from the economy to public safety. The high number of candidates and the top-two system mean your vote may help determine whether the November election is a contest between two candidates from the same party or from different parties.

What's Next

Voting concludes on Tuesday, after which the top two vote-getters will be determined. In the final days, major candidates are holding events across the state: Xavier Becerra is scheduled for events in San Francisco and San Jose, Steve Hilton has a town hall in Silicon Valley, Tom Steyer has a rally in San Francisco, and other candidates are making appearances in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Jose. The results will set the stage for the general election campaign to replace Governor Gavin Newsom.

Perspectives

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Xavier Becerra Supporters emphasize his public service experience and argue that the governorship is 'not a place for on-the-job training' where candidates must 'better know what you're doing'.
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Steve Hilton Supporters advocate for a 'simple, practical commonsense' approach to reducing regulations and lowering costs, framing his platform as a 'not ideological' message to unify voters.
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Tom Steyer Supporters view him as a lifelong progressive dedicated to taxing billionaires because 'Californians can't afford to live here anymore'.
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Tom Steyer Critics point to his characterizations of opponents, labeling Steve Hilton a 'hard-right Republican who's endorsed by Donald Trump' and Xavier Becerra a 'corporate Democrat' due to Chevron contributions.
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Skeptical Democrats remain hesitant to vote, either waiting to see if a candidate 'breaks away from the pack' or expressing that they are 'unimpressed with the field'.