California governor primary sees strong competition from leaders.

The leading Republican and Democratic candidates have established a significant lead in the polls. Tom Steyer's campaign trails closely, lagging approximately six percentage points behind.

In the California governor primary, a heated competition has emerged with Republican commentator Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra taking an initial lead on Tuesday, positioning themselves well for potential advancement to the November 3 general election.

A potential outcome could pit Democrats against Republicans in a closely contested election, following the initial goal of each party to secure both available spots in the non-partisan primary system, where candidates from all parties share the same ballot. Two top contenders will move forward, disregarding party affiliations.

The incoming governor of California will face significant responsibilities, including overseeing a massive $4 trillion economy, one of the globe's biggest, amidst pressing issues like water scarcity, housing unaffordability and widespread homelessness.

Official results show Hilton leading with 26.9% of the vote, trailed closely by Becerra at 25.7%. The gap between them is approximately 49,000 votes, with each candidate surpassing 1.1 million votes in partial precinct reports.

Tom Steyer's Democratic bid lagged significantly with 19.8% of the total, a deficit of approximately 260,000 votes.

Among numerous contenders, no candidate managed to exceed a 10% threshold.

Former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra has a storied background as a U.S. congressman from Los Angeles and Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Joe Biden. His potential election in November would mark a historic milestone, making him the first Latino governor in a state where 40% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino.

California's Attorney General Xavier Becerra addressed his enthusiastic crowd in both English and Spanish.

The candidate's words were met with applause as he expressed confidence in his prospects despite a significant number of uncounted ballots. His journey is one step nearer to fulfilling the dream of his parents, Maria and Manuel Becerra, who came to America seeking opportunity.

Former Fox News host Hilton, born in the UK, has secured the backing of President Donald Trump. He obtained US citizenship in 2021 after previously serving as an advisor to ex-UK PM David Cameron.

The Republican candidate focused his campaign on criticizing Democratic policies regarding homelessness, affordability, and government oversight in a state where GOP candidates have not held statewide office since Arnold Schwarzenegger left in January 2011.

With confidence evident on his face, the candidate hinted at a possible future where he would join Schwarzenegger's ranks as a foreign-born governor.

Running for California governor, it's a tremendous privilege to be considered by so many voters, more than a million strong, who are giving me their support this election cycle. The energy at these events is palpable, with enthusiastic crowds rallying behind my campaign slogan: Change is on its way!

Becerra's emergence as a top contender came on the heels of Eric Swalwell's abrupt departure from the Democratic primary, which was triggered by allegations of misconduct against him that surfaced in April. These claims were vehemently disputed by Swalwell himself.

In other key contests, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass initially gained an edge in her re-election campaign, facing off against numerous opponents amidst growing worries about homelessness, housing costs, and the long-term effects of the catastrophic 2025 wildfires that ravaged the region.

In the California governor primary, Democratic candidate Bass secured 36.5% of the vote, trailed closely by Spencer Pratt.

In a similar format to the gubernatorial primary, the mayoral election combines candidates from all parties on a single ballot, where only the top two contenders advance to November.

California Governor primary challenger Nithya Raman posed a significant threat to Bass's campaign.

The upcoming primary election in California represents a crucial milestone for the state's political landscape, as it pits top contenders against each other in a highly competitive contest.

Following President Trump's call for Texas to redraw its electoral map to gain five additional Republican seats, Governor Newsom responded with a voter initiative that seeks to flip five California districts from red to blue.

California's congressional delegation has historically been dominated by Democrats with a significant margin of 43 to 9.