California Gubernatorial Race Heats Up Following Swalwell’s Exit
With former Representative Eric Swalwell’s campaign for governor faltering, the upcoming race in California is likely to be competitive. Experts are speculating on who might take over Swalwell’s influential seat.
A recent poll released on Tuesday hints at potential frontrunners: Progressive billionaire Tom Steyer is currently ahead with 21% support from likely voters, while Republican contender Steve Hilton trails closely behind at 18%, as reported by SurveyUSA.
Swalwell, who stepped down from Congress on Tuesday amid dramatic remarks, managed to garner only 9% of voter support. This survey was conducted between April 8 and 10, around the time accusations against him surfaced and stirred rumors.
The poll involved a sample of 1,200 respondents, partially focusing on 788 potential voters.
Some internal polls had suggested that after Swalwell suspended his campaign, Steyer and former U.S. Representative Katie Porter would capture most of his supporters.
However, it seems that Steyer is gaining the most traction. Notably, the California Teachers Association, which was once a significant backer of Swalwell, threw its support behind Steyer on Wednesday.
Nevertheless, leading pollster Paul Mitchell pointed out some flaws in SurveyUSA’s findings. He noted that only 28% of respondents were elderly, while they likely constitute around 40% of the electorate. Moreover, the sample appears to have an imbalance, with too many independents and fewer Democrats than needed.
Despite these concerns, Mitchell expressed that it wouldn’t be surprising if Steyer is indeed leading, mentioning he had encountered other polls suggesting Steyer was slightly ahead of Porter.
Further internal polling indicated that Steyer had 16% support among Democrats, yet he still fell short of Hilton, who had 25% in a recent survey involving San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan.
Steyer’s campaign is actively attempting to build momentum. He stated, “We are leading this race, California! My campaign is focused on lowering costs for working Californians by building 1 million homes, reducing energy bills, providing single-payer health care, and closing tax loopholes for corporations and billionaires.”
The poll also suggests that the likelihood of a Republican lockout—wherein Hilton and Republican Sheriff Chad Bianco secure the top two spots in the June primary—might have diminished.
