Republican Steve Hilton will advance to the November gubernatorial election after nearly a week of counting late-arriving ballots, locking Democrat Tom Steyer out of the race.
The former Fox News host and businessman built a sizable lead on election night and has so far withstood troves of late-arriving ballots that have broken heavily in favor of Democratic candidates.
With 84% of the vote counted, Xavier Becerra holds 27.6%, Hilton in second at 25.1%, and Steyer places third with 22.4%. Decision Desk HQ projected the race at 8:37 p.m. EDT.
Decision Desk HQ projects Steve Hilton wins the second of two spots in the CA Governor Top-Two Primary #DecisionMade : 8:37 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/VDwoKFUcLr
— Decision Desk HQ (@DecisionDeskHQ) June 9, 2026
Monday’s projection effectively ends Steyer’s campaign, which dumped more than $200 million of his own money into the race. The billionaire climate activist supported raising taxes on corporations, a single-payer “Medicare for All” universal healthcare system, and prosecuting ICE agents.
Hilton, who was endorsed by President Trump, pushed Republicans to coalesce behind his candidacy over fears of a conservative lockout. Not having a Republican at the top-of-the ticket would have likely suppressed GOP turnout this November, according to political analysts.
Republican Riverside Sheriff Chad Bianco managed to pull about 10% of the vote.
Hilton’s survival comes one day after The Daily Wire reported leftist Los Angeles City Councilmember Nithya Raman will advance to the November mayoral election, locking Republican Spencer Pratt out of the race.
The race to succeed Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender, has been marked by a turbulent primary season filled with scandals and viral missteps.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris turned down the opportunity to lead the Golden State, opening an unusually crowded and wide-open field.
The first major shakeup came when a leaked viral video showed former Rep. Porter (D-CA) berating a congressional staffer, a controversy she never recovered from.
“ Get out of my f*cking shot ,” Porter shouted at a staff member when making a video message for the Biden administration.
Eric Swalwell, the former Bay Area congressman, capitalized on Porter’s collapse in the polls. He quickly amassed key Democratic endorsements and was widely viewed as the race’s frontrunner.
But his hopes to lead the Golden State came crashing down following explosive allegations of sexual harassment and assault. Multiple campaign staffers accused their boss of sending sexually explicit social media messages and inappropriate behavior beyond the halls of Congress. Days later, he dropped his gubernatorial bid and resigned from Congress ahead of an expected expulsion vote. A fifth woman then accused Swalwell of rape in 2018, alleging the lawmaker drugged and raped her in Southern California.
As polling showed Republicans could lock out Democrats , blue voters consolidated behind former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at USC and UC Berkeley, said Democrats were spooked by the Swalwell scandal.
“Becerra is this year’s version of the Biden 2020 campaign. He is a stable, reassuring presence, and that seems to have attracted voters, Democratic voters who are worried about less familiar objects,” Schnur told The Daily Wire , “Eric Swalwell was, it was a near-death experience for California Democrats.”
The Cook Political report ranks California’s gubernatorial general election as solidly Democratic.
Read the full article at The Daily Wire →📄Source document: Decision Desk HQ→7 reports
The InterceptIndependentLeft11 days agoIn California, Steve Hilton, a conservative former political aide and Fox News personality, will face off against Xavier Becerra, a former Biden administration official and former California attorney general, in a gubernatorial runoff. Hilton, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, finished second in the nonpartisan primary, while Becerra, who ran a low-profile campaign emphasizing his experience, will seek to capitalize on expected strong Democratic support in the November election. The article notes that Becerra faced criticism for actions during his time as attorney general, including a
Bias read (Left): The article highlights criticism of Xavier Becerra's past actions as California attorney general, including efforts to push for the execution of an intellectually disabled Black man by artificially inflating his IQ. This framing emphasizes potential misconduct by a Democratic candidate, which aligns
Bloomberg NewsParty-aligned🔒Center12 days agoThe race for California governor is expected to result in a two-person runoff in November between Xavier Becerra, a veteran Democratic politician, and Steve Hilton, a Republican and British-born television personality endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the development neutrally, naming both candidates and their affiliations without apparent bias in language or emphasis. It does not favor one candidate over the other nor does it include any overtly biased commentary or selective sourcing.
Breitbart NewsIndependentRight12 days agoRepublican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton gained traction in California's gubernatorial race, receiving 25.10% of the vote compared to 27.67% for Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra and 22.36% for Democrat Tom Steyer. President Donald Trump endorsed Hilton, criticizing California's Democratic leadership and highlighting issues like high taxes, rising crime, and slow vote counting. Hilton also commented on the delayed vote tallying process after the June 2 primary.
Bias read (Right): The article emphasizes Trump's endorsement of Hilton and quotes his strong criticisms of California's Democratic leadership, including claims about the state 'going to Hell,' high taxes, and increased crime. The framing highlights Hilton's alignment with conservative rhetoric and omits counterpoints
Bloomberg NewsParty-aligned🔒Center12 days ago Becerra, Hilton Advance in California Governor Election, DDHQ ProjectsThe race for California governor is expected to result in a two-person runoff in November between Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton, according to DDHQ projections.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a neutral summary of election projections without overtly favoring either candidate. It mentions both candidates and their affiliations but does not include any biased language, framing, or sourcing that would indicate a clear ideological lean.
The Daily WireIndependentRight12 days agoRepublican candidate Steve Hilton secured a position in the California gubernatorial election after late-arriving ballots were counted, surpassing Democrat Tom Steyer. With 84% of the votes counted, Hilton leads with 25.1%, while Steyer trails with 22.4%. Hilton received endorsement from former President Donald Trump and aimed to unify Republicans to prevent a potential conservative lockout. Steyer, a billionaire climate activist, invested over $200 million in the race and advocated for policies such as corporate tax increases and Medicare for All.
Bias read (Right): The article emphasizes the role of former President Trump's endorsement and highlights the importance of preventing a 'conservative lockout' as a strategic move for Republicans. It also frames Steyer's policies, like 'Medicare for All,' in a manner that suggests they are controversial within the GOP
CBS News (US)IndependentCenter14 days agoDemocrat Xavier Becerra has advanced to the general election for California governor, according to CBS News projections. The article notes that it is still unclear who Becerra will face in the general election as ballots continue to be counted.
Bias read (Center): The article provides a straightforward report on the projected advancement of Xavier Becerra without overtly biased language, framing, or emphasis. It does not take a stance on the political implications or outcomes of the election, merely stating the current status of ballot counting.
Associated PressIndependentCenter15 days agoDemocrat Xavier Becerra has advanced to the general election in his race for California governor.
Bias read (Center): The headline and summary present the fact that Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, has advanced to the general election without any apparent framing or slant. The article does not include additional context, language, or sourcing that would indicate a particular ideological leaning.
United States