Republicans Gain Ground in California’s Gubernatorial Race

Democratic strategist Doug Schoen commented on Tuesday that Republicans might be gaining an edge in California’s gubernatorial contest.

Rep. Eric Swalwell, a California Democrat, halted his campaign on Sunday amid several allegations of sexual misconduct, including a claim from a staffer of nonconsensual sex. Following this development, Schoen discussed the situation on “The Ingraham Angle,” suggesting that the Republican Party could feature two candidates in the upcoming November general election.

“If that scenario unfolds, we could end up with two Republicans holding office in November,” Schoen said. He noted that with Tom Steyer continuing his departure from the party, Democrats are attempting to narrow the candidate field to two or three to secure an advantage in June.

Schoen also pointed out that Steyer’s financial backing and a decrease in support among Democratic voters might skew the race toward the Republicans.

“Steyer has established his prowess in both the 2020 presidential election and the ongoing one. He is willing to spend without restraint. There’s an emerging opportunity here. Reliable Democrat support appears lacking, and nobody is exceeding 10 or 11 percent. I think Steyer is the clear frontrunner, but I do have genuine concerns,” he remarked.

Steyer invested around $250 million of his personal wealth in his 2020 presidential bid, executing a large advertising campaign across early primary states, including South Carolina. However, despite his significant self-funding, he did not secure any delegates and exited the race following the South Carolina primary.

The current California gubernatorial race shows a divided Democratic landscape. While Swalwell was leading with 17%, Steyer was lagging at 11%, with no Democratic candidate breaking the 20% threshold. In contrast, Republican Steve Hilton was leading the Republican candidates at 13%, closely pursued by Chad Bianco at 11%.