Overview
- The top-two result was finalized after California’s June 2 primary and days of mail‑ballot returns left Xavier Becerra with about 27.9 percent, Steve Hilton with about 25.0 percent, and Tom Steyer with roughly 22.5 percent, eliminating Steyer from the runoff.
- President Trump endorsed Hilton during the primary and that backing helped consolidate Republican voters behind the former Fox host as he held off late vote shifts from Steyer.
- Steyer spent more than $200 million of his own money on the campaign but finished third and has conceded, urging his supporters to back Becerra in November.
- The slow count that delayed the second‑place call was driven by California rules that accept mail ballots postmarked by Election Day if they arrive up to seven days later and by counties counting returned ballots as they are received.
- California’s partisan math — about 45 percent registered Democrats versus roughly 25 percent registered Republicans — and two decades without a GOP governor make Becerra the clear favorite while Hilton faces a long‑shot general election test that could force both campaigns to focus on turnout and independent voters.