Hilton and Becerra lead California governor's race; Steyer faces elimination
Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra are leading the California gubernatorial primary race to replace Gavin Newsom. Billionaire candidate Tom Steyer remains in the race but faces a statistically difficult path to secure a top-two spot for the November general election.
Why it matters
The outcome of this primary will determine the final candidates for the governorship of the most populous state in the U.S., significantly impacting national political trends.
California gubernatorial candidates, from left, Steve Hilton, Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer at their respective election night parties on June 2, 2026. (Los Angeles Times) By Nicole Nixon and Seema Mehta June 3, 2026 3:49 PM PT 51 9 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X LinkedIn Threads Reddit WhatsApp Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here .
The report focuses on election data and candidate standings, maintaining a neutral tone while citing election analysts to explain the mathematical challenges faced by trailing candidates.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in