California Primary Tuesday: Xavier Becerra Leads Governor Race as Karen Bass Seeks Reelection

California’s primary election is Tuesday, with voters deciding races for governor and Los Angeles mayor, and ballots can be returned by mail or dropped at more than 400 official ballot drop boxes.

“SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- With Tuesday's primary quickly approaching, candidates for California governor are making a final push across the Bay Area and the state, rallying supporters and urging voters to head to the polls”

ABC7 Bay Area

In the governor’s race, NBC Los Angeles said former U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra was appearing to gain an edge among likely voters, while billionaire Democrat and environmental advocate Tom Steyer and former FOX News host and political advisor Steve Hilton were in a tight race for second.

ABC7 Bay Area

NBC Los Angeles also reported that Mayor Karen Bass is vying for reelection and made several stops Saturday to distance herself from two major challengers, including Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman.

The AP described the governor’s race as “one of the country’s messiest and most consequential governor’s races,” with voters looking for a replacement for Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The AP added that California eliminated partisan primaries in 2010 in favor of a “ jungle primary,” and that the top two finishers advance to the general election regardless of party.

ABC7 Bay Area reported that supporters of Xavier Becerra gathered Saturday at Manny's in San Francisco, where the Democratic frontrunner told a cheering crowd, "At the end of the day, we're going to win, because we did it with family."

ABC7 Bay Area also quoted Becerra saying, "I treat every race like an underdog-I've had to treat my life like an underdog," when asked whether polling numbers gave him confidence.

Al Jazeera

In the same final stretch, ABC7 Bay Area said Tom Steyer held a get-out-the-vote rally in downtown San Francisco and emphasized his independence from corporate donors.

The AP framed the race’s dynamics around the top contenders, noting that Steve Hilton has Trump’s endorsement and that Hilton has pledged to make people’s first $100,000 of income tax free and to dramatically lower gas prices.

The AP also described Becerra’s pitch as a steady hand to guide California and stand up to Trump, while noting that he served in President Joe Biden’s cabinet as secretary of Health and Human Services.

Al Jazeera warned that California’s “jungle” primary has put Democrats at risk of being shut out of the governor’s race, saying “We've never seen anything like this before" and pointing to the possibility that no Democrat advances to the final round.

“Here are the top candidates for California governor in Tuesday’s primary One of the country’s messiest and most consequential governor’s races is hurtling toward an inflection point on Tuesday in California”

AP News

Al Jazeera said no fewer than 24 Democrats will appear on the primary ballot to succeed Governor Gavin Newsom, while voter surveys have shown two Republicans, former Fox News host Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, at or near the top of the field.

The outlet quoted California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks lamenting that the jungle primary could mean that “half of the registered voters in the state don't end up with a candidate of their choosing in the general election”.

NBC Los Angeles reported that the top two vote-getters advance to the November runoff, and that the campaign season is winding down as candidates make final weekend appeals ahead of Tuesday’s election.

In the same race, NBC Los Angeles said a poll released Thursday night showed Republican Steve Hilton with 21% and Democrat Tom Steyer at 19%, suggesting three candidates have separated from the rest of the crowded field.