Hilton, Becerra Lead Undecided California Governor Primary

California voters face continued uncertainty over which two candidates will advance from the June 2 primary to the November general election for governor. With more than half the ballots counted, Republican Steve Hilton held 27.8 percent and Democrat Xavier Becerra held 25.4 percent, while Democrat Tom Steyer trailed at 19.6 percent, according to partial returns reported across multiple outlets. The top-two system sends the leading pair forward regardless of party, leaving open the possibility that a Republican reaches the general election for the first time since Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2006 reelection.

Vote counting will extend for days or weeks because of heavy mail-in participation and verification requirements. Democrats in particular held ballots until late in the process, reversing earlier patterns and further delaying totals. The race to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom drew roughly 60 candidates after prominent Democrats including Kamala Harris, Alex Padilla and Rob Bonta declined to run and after Eric Swalwell withdrew amid misconduct allegations he denies.

Hilton, a former Fox News host endorsed by President Donald Trump, told supporters that change is long overdue after years of one-party Democratic control and pledged to cut costs through tax relief and deregulation. Becerra, a former U.S. health secretary and state attorney general, described his rise from single digits in earlier polls as an underdog story and emphasized his government experience. Steyer, who spent more than $200 million of his own funds, said he would continue pressing corporate interests on taxes and climate policy.

The state’s high cost of living shaped much of the debate. Gasoline averaged $6.08 per gallon at the end of May, homes cost roughly double the national average, and electricity rates rank second-highest in the country after Hawaii, according to AAA, the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Hilton proposed making the first $100,000 of income tax-free and increasing oil production; Steyer called for higher corporate taxes and utility restructuring.

Other states also held primaries the same day. In Iowa, businessman Zach Lahn defeated the Trump-endorsed candidate in the Republican governor race. New Mexico’s Democratic primary produced a historic nominee in former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District advanced a Democratic challenger to Republican incumbent Tom Kean Jr. Results in those contests were clearer than California’s governor tally.