Overview
- Eight Democrats and two Republicans filed by the deadline to appear on the June 2 primary ballot.
- California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged lower-polling Democrats to exit, but only Ian Calderon withdrew and endorsed Eric Swalwell as others criticized the appeal.
- Statistical modeling by Democratic strategist Paul Mitchell estimates a 27% chance of an all-Republican November matchup with the current field.
- Under the state’s top-two primary rules, a splintered Democratic vote and ballots retaining late-withdrawing names could allow two Republicans to advance.
- Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton lead their party’s more consolidated bloc, while Democrats remain spread across Xavier Becerra, Katie Porter, Eric Swalwell, Tom Steyer, Antonio Villaraigosa, Tony Thurmond, Betty Yee and Matt Mahan.