California Governor’s Race: Key Takeaways from the Primary

After a tumultuous primary season, Xavier Becerra, a former official from the Biden administration, appeared to be making a surprising comeback in the California governor’s race based on the returns from election night.

Meanwhile, Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host backed by President Trump, also seemed poised to advance to the general election for the state’s gubernatorial office.

The race was still undecided on Tuesday night. However, residents in Los Angeles went to bed knowing Mayor Karen Bass would advance to the November election, as confirmed by The Associated Press. Her opponent might be Spencer Pratt, a former reality TV star with strong support, but more ballots need counting to confirm.

Both Mr. Pratt and Mr. Hilton, Republicans with television backgrounds, aimed to channel voter dissatisfaction and anger towards Democratic control across much of California’s government. Though if they proceed, they will face significant challenges in general election races historically dominated by Democrats for many years.

Key Takeaways from the Early Results

Many voters made strategic decisions when casting their votes. For months, the governor’s race included numerous Democratic candidates, many of whom voters found unfamiliar or uninspiring. Several polls suggested that two Republicans might prevail in the primary because Democrats were splitting their support among too many candidates without a clear favorite.

This caused concern among Democratic leaders. The dynamics of the race shifted when Republican voters consolidated their support behind Steve Hilton after he received President Trump’s endorsement. Meanwhile, Democratic voters began to reconsider their choices when Representative Eric Swalwell exited the race following sexual assault allegations.