Following Vice President Harris’s opposition to the governor’s race, former Democrat Katie Porter from California and ex-Republican Fox News host Steve Hilton are currently leading in a new polling for the California governor position.
The Emerson College Poll shows Porter ahead with 18% of the vote, while Hilton trails with 12%. In California’s nonpartisan voting system, the top two candidates advance to the general election, regardless of their party affiliations.
This shift in the race comes after Harris, who was anticipated to dominate the competition if she entered, announced her decision not to run for the soon-to-be vacated seat of Governor Gavin Newsom (D).
Other candidates are also in the mix, including Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Democrat-turned-Republican Rick Caruso, who have garnered 7%, 5%, and 4% respectively.
A few remaining contenders, like former Biden Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Lt. Colonel Eileen O’Connor (D), and former state controller Betty Yee (D), are each polling just below 3%.
“With Kamala Harris stepping aside, Katie Porter has risen as a leading Democratic contender, boosting her support from 12% to 18% since the last Emerson poll in April,” while Hilton’s numbers also increased to 12% after launching his campaign at the end of April.
The poll from April noted a drop in undecided voters from 54% to 38%, indicating a shift in voter clarity as the race heats up.
In California, there’s a possibility that two Democrats could end up facing each other in the general election, showcasing traditional party competition within the state.
The last Republican governor of California was elected in 2006, and while Trump campaigned there in November, California has solidified its blue status in presidential elections since 1992.
Meanwhile, Harris’s choice to pass on the governor’s race has sparked speculation about a potential run for the White House in 2028.
The Emerson College survey was conducted from August 4-5, involving 1,000 active registered voters in California, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, akin to typical voting error margins.
