Becerra, Hilton lead polling in California gubernatorial race

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(The Center Square) – Seven of the candidates for governor of California will appear Tuesday night in a televised debate, following a poll that shows Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra are tied with the most support.

The California VOTER Index from EVIRATUS Research found Hilton and Becerra with 18% of voters' support, more than any other candidate from either party. Both candidates will participate in the debate, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific time on CNN. The poll was released by the California Democratic Party.

Hilton has been at or near the top of most polls, while Becerra has been gaining ground since one of the frontrunners - Eric Swalwell, a San Francisco Democrat - dropped out of the race and resigned from the U.S. House following sex abuse allegations.

On April 20, The Center Square covered a California VOTER Index from EVIRATUS Research, which listed Becerra at 13%. He was at 4% just weeks before that research was conducted.

Rusty Hicks, chair of the California Democratic Party, said that’s not all that he’s seen in the Golden State, which will hold its primary on June 2. 

“We can see the undecided rate decline from where we started,” Hicks told The Center Square. “This is a verification that candidates are making their pitch. Endorsers and supporters are advocating across the state, voters are advocating across the state, and voters are coming to their decisions.”

Chad Bianco, the Riverside County sheriff running as a Republican, is in third place with 14%.

Democrats Tom Steyer (12%), Katie Porter (8%) and Matt Mahan (7%) are the only other candidates close to that number.

Democrats Antonio Villaraigoso and Tony Thurmond are polling at 2% and 1% respectively.

All of those candidates except Thurmond will be in Tuesday night's debate.

The Center Square reached out to the campaigns of Becerra, Hilton and Bianco, but did not hear back by press time.

In an April 20 story, Hicks told The Center Square that “there are too many Democrats in the field for governor.”

As a result, Hicks recommended that candidates with low numbers consider dropping out of the race.

The Center Square asked Hicks Monday if that is still his opinion.

“It would be preferable to only have one Democrat in the race because we would then have clarity about who our candidate in the general election will be,” Hicks told The Center Square. “It’s not where we are today, but I think there are some candidates that are ending up on debate stages and continuing to make their way around the state that are polling in the low single digits with virtually no path to get to the general election. So, you know, at the end of the day, is it going to prevent us from being able to elect a Democratic governor? No, I don’t believe so, but my call still stands for candidates to honestly asses their candidacy.”

Under California law, the top two vote getters in the primary, regardless of their party affiliation, will go on to the Nov. 3 general election.

CNN is featuring the top seven candidates in the polling in Tuesday night's debate, which will be covered by The Center Square.

“Any opportunity for voters to get more exposure to these candidates, the leading candidates for governor, I believe, is a good thing,” said Hicks. “No matter where candidates are or what party they might be from, I think the more exposure to California voters is a good thing, and I applaud CNN and others for putting it together.”