Overview
- California Republicans vote Sunday in San Diego on whether to issue a gubernatorial endorsement that requires 60% support from delegates.
- Party insiders and strategists say neither Steve Hilton nor Chad Bianco looks poised to clear that bar, which would check the impact of the president’s nod to Hilton.
- Trump’s April 6 endorsement lifted Hilton in recent polls, with one Binder Research survey putting him above 20%, while analysts now judge a two‑Republican November less likely under the state’s top‑two rules.
- The primary fight has turned personal as Hilton and Bianco trade sharp attacks over immigration, policing, and past positions, worrying GOP activists who fear a divided vote.
- The California Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered Bianco to pause his probe and preserve more than 1,400 seized ballot boxes from a November special election, adding legal strain to his campaign.