Overview
- Public polls in the final days show Xavier Becerra leading the crowded governor’s field with Tom Steyer and Steve Hilton locked in a close fight for the second spot in the top-two jungle primary.
- Los Angeles polls place Mayor Karen Bass, reality TV figure Spencer Pratt, and councilmember Nithya Raman within a few points of one another, leaving the city’s nonpartisan primary effectively too close to call.
- Republican Steve Hilton has publicly urged rival Chad Bianco to exit the governor’s race to consolidate GOP votes and avoid a November matchup between two Democrats.
- Turnout dynamics matter more than usual because only about 15% of mail ballots had been returned in the closing days, giving late campaigning, huge Steyer spending, and Pratt’s viral surge the chance to change results.
- The outcomes will shape fall matchups and local policy debates on homelessness, public safety, housing costs, and wildfire recovery with broader implications for down‑ballot congressional and legislative contests.