Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra continue to lead the pack of gubernatorial candidates in California’s crowded governor’s race.
Hilton has 22% support among voters for June’s primary, while Becerra is 2 percentage points behind at 20%, according to a Kreate Strategies poll released Sunday, May 10.
“Republicans are united, and for the first time in 16 years, we are going to restore the California Dream,” Hilton said in an Instagram post highlighting the poll results.
Becerra has made significant gains among voters after Eric Swalwell’s departure from the governor’s race. Before sexual assault accusations against Swalwell surfaced, Becerra was consistently polling in the single digits.
“We’re building real momentum across California,” Becerra said in an Instagram post referencing the latest poll. “Now let’s finish strong.”
Democrat Tom Steyer leads Republican Chad Bianco by 1 percentage point, with 14% of voters. Democrats Matt Mahan and Katie Porter are tied, each at 9%. Meanwhile, Antonio Villaraigosa trails at 1%.
Ten percent of voters remain undecided.
“The race continues to develop without full consolidation,” Kevin Wen, CEO of Kreate Strategies, said in a news release. “With multiple candidates remaining competitive and undecided voters still in play, the electorate remains fluid heading into the primary.”
In other recent polls, Hilton has been leading, and Becerra has been rising, often close behind or tying for the top spot.
A poll from California Back to Basics, an outside group backing Mahan, found Becerra and Hilton tied for the top spot at 20%, POLITICO reported Friday, May 8. Bianco held 14% of voters, while Democrats Steyer (12%), Mahan (10%), and Porter (9%) trailed.
A separate SurveyUSA poll released days earlier on Monday, May 4, showed Hilton leading, with Steyer 2 percentage points behind.
Becerra was polling at 10%, slightly behind Bianco. Democrats Katie Porter and Matt Mahan followed, holding 8% and 7% of likely voters, respectively. Democratic candidate Antonio Villaraigosa is polling at 5%, while Democrat Tony Thurmond is at 2%.
Despite Becerra being fourth among voters in the survey, pollsters noted significant gains and a slight decline for Steyer.
“If Becerra continues to climb and Steyer continues to fall, it is possible that Becerra and Hilton both advance to the general election,” pollsters said.
Even still, pollsters also noted it “remains possible that Bianco and Hilton both advance, pitting the two Republicans against each other in the November election.”
The Kreate Strategies survey was conducted between Tuesday, May 5, and Saturday, May 9, with a sample of 900 voters and had a margin of error of ±3.3 percentage points.
Kreate Strategies poll’s other findings
More than half of voters believe the state is headed in the wrong direction. Slightly more voters rate Gov. Gavin Newsom’s job performance negatively than positively, with 49% saying they disapprove and 44% saying they approve.
When asked about which issues are most important to voters in deciding how to vote, 21% said taxes and state budget; 20% said economy and jobs; and 17% said trust in government.
Thirteen percent of voters said they’ve already cast a ballot for June’s primary, while 40% said they’ve filled out their ballot but have not yet returned it, and 24% said they plan to vote in person on Election Day. One percent of voters said they do not plan to vote in the election.
Who’s running for California governor?
In California, there is a top-two primary system in which all candidates are listed on the same ballot. The top two vote-getters move on to the general election, regardless of their party affiliation, meaning there is the potential for two candidates from the same party to face off in the general election.
The top gubernatorial candidates include:
Other notable Democratic candidates include Matt Mahan, Antonio Villaraigosa, and Tony Thurmond. An additional 51 candidates are also running for governor. A list of candidates and their titles can be found here.
Key dates for June primary
Some key dates for the June primary include:
When is the governor’s race?
Voters will choose the Golden State’s next governor during California’s general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: California governor’s race tightens as 2 candidates lead crowded field
Reporting by Daniella Segura, USA TODAY NETWORK / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
