Xavier Becerra, Steve Hilton progress to general election for California governor
Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton are pictured. Becerra and Hilton will advance to the November general election to compete for California governor. (Left to right: Michael Gallagher/Daily Bruin senior staff and Courtesy of Gage Skidmore/CC BY-SA 2.0 Cropped from original)
By Josephine Murphy
June 9, 2026 6:07 p.m.
Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton will compete to be California’s next governor in November, the Associated Press announced Tuesday.
Becerra, a former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Hilton, a political commentator, earned 27.9% and 24.9% of the vote, respectively. Polls showed Hilton and Becerra – alongside hedge fund founder and Democrat Tom Steyer, who received 22.6% of the vote – as the race’s frontrunners in the days leading up to the election.
Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan received 10.2%, 4.4% and 3.6% of the vote, respectively. Porter and Mahan are among the candidates who conceded after votes started rolling in.
[Related: California governor’s race features competitive primary field]
Gov. Gavin Newsom – who was elected to his first term in 2018 – has reached his term limit, making him ineligible to run again.
Per California law, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election, regardless of party affiliation, move on to the Nov. 3 general election.
Voting wrapped up at polling locations around the state – including in Pauley Pavilion and the Ackerman Union Bruin Reception Room – June 2.
Becerra’s platform centers on expanding state support for healthcare, childcare and essential costs, according to his campaign website. He also wants to work with other states to regulate artificial intelligence and file lawsuits against the Trump administration to protect California from federal overreach, his website said.
Political action committees – including those receiving contributions from Chevron and Meta – have spent $13 million on Becerra’s campaign. Becerra’s endorsements include California College Democrats, the California Faculty Association and U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, whose district includes UCLA.
Becerra’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Hilton’s platform includes reducing taxes on workers, easing regulations on businesses and ensuring all California students reach state math and English standards, according to his campaign website.
President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Reform California – a major conservative fundraiser – endorsed Hilton.
Hilton has received more than $14 million in campaign contributions.
Hilton’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Steyer ran on a campaign of lowering gas prices and electricity bills, levying taxes on billionaires and fighting against increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence in the state, according to his campaign website.
Steyer, a billionaire, has spent more than $200 million on his largely self-funded campaign, making his the most expensive bid in California gubernatorial primary history.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, which represents service, patient care and skilled craft workers, and University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America 9119, which represents researchers and IT workers, endorsed Steyer. The two unions represent nearly 70,000 UC employees.
Bruin Democrats also endorsed Steyer, who attended a June 1 event at UCLA hosted by the club.
[Related: Tom Steyer makes final pitch to UCLA students ahead of gubernatorial primary]
Steyer’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
