A late-hour push by California’s top Democratic official to thin the party’s governor field flopped, leaving Democrats with the same crowded set of contenders as the June 2 primary approaches. Rusty Hicks had called on lagging candidates to step aside, saying the race could splinter the Democratic vote in a top-two contest—an outcome Democrats fear could open a path for Republicans to capture the governorship in November.
Outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom acknowledged internal worries that multiple Democratic candidates could undercut one another in the June 2 primary, potentially setting up an all-Republican general election under California’s top-two system. That system places all candidates on a single ballot and advances the top two vote-getters to November regardless of party registration, meaning Democrats’ nominees face the risk that Republican contenders could both rise ahead of the Democrats they split.
Hicks made the pitch earlier this week for candidates who were not gaining traction to exit the governor race before Friday’s deadline to formally enter. The call was largely ignored inside the party; just one candidate, former state Assembly majority leader Ian Calderon, ended his campaign since then. Hicks, meanwhile, has faced complaints from Democratic candidates alleging bullying, elitism and racial insensitivity, according to the AP report.
Democratic consultant Bill Carrick said Hicks was making an “improbable appeal,” asking candidates to step aside even though the party does not have a clear front-runner and the primary is still months away. “People don’t say, ‘You want me to drop out? OK,’ ” Carrick said, arguing that candidates have been campaigning and raising money for months, if not longer. Even candidates with limited polling exposure, he added, often do not see themselves as far from being competitive in a muddled field.
The race has attracted a wide and diverse group of Democrats, including current and former members of Congress and other statewide and local officeholders, marking the first time since voters approved the state’s top-two primary system more than a decade ago that there is no dominant candidate in the governor race. The AP list of contenders includes Katie Porter, Rep. Eric Swalwell and Xavier Becerra, along with former state controller Betty Yee, billionaire Tom Steyer, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, state schools superintendent Tony Thurmond, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. Calderon endorsed Swalwell after dropping out.
On the Republican side, the AP report identified Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton as leading candidates, with both described as supporters of President Donald Trump. Hicks argued—mirroring broader concerns inside the party—that it was possible a large Democratic field could carve up the party’s primary vote into small fractions and leave the two November slots to Republicans. Hicks also warned that a Democratic vacancy atop the ticket could depress turnout at a time when the party is trying to regain control of the U.S. House to blunt Trump’s agenda in Washington.
Some candidates rejected the premise that they should exit. Thurmond, who is Black, said the party was “essentially telling every candidate of color … to drop out.” Mahan said Thursday there was “plenty of time” for candidates to make a mark, saying “people are just starting to tune in.” Swalwell and Porter also voiced concern about a Democratic lockout but did not name any specific candidate who should step aside.
Speaking after a candidate forum, Swalwell told reporters, “That’s a decision for individual candidates to make.” Porter said California could not afford to take the risk of a governor who would empower Trump, adding that “There is a role for every candidate, always, in every race, to look at whether or not they have a path forward,” and saying “I’m sure those are hard moments for them.” Sam Rodriguez, a former political director for the state party, said a better option for Hicks would have been seeking support from party delegates for a resolution encouraging lower-tier candidates to stand down if they could not show significant support in the polls, describing that approach as giving delegates more voice.
Recent polling by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, as described by the AP report, showed the field breaking into two groups. Hilton, Porter, Bianco, Swalwell and Steyer were in close competition, while the other candidates trailed behind. As the formal filing deadline approaches, Democrats remain divided over whether the party should continue to field a broad bench—or whether the top-two structure will punish them for not doing more to consolidate.