The end of California's chaotic governor's race was approaching as leading candidates rushed to deliver their closing arguments.
The end of California's chaotic governor's race was approaching Saturday as leading candidates rushed to deliver their closing arguments before voting concludes Tuesday. Former U.S. health secretary Xavier Becerra has called for "hot competence summer," promoting his decades of public service as evidence he has what it takes to be California's next governor.
Republican Steve Hilton pledged an end to a "bloated, nanny-state bureaucracy" during remarks outside the state Capitol on Wednesday. Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer told reporters this week in Berkeley, California, that he's made it his life's work to advance progressive causes, a mission he'll bring to Sacramento. They're seeking to stand out in a field of roughly 60 candidates on a single ballot, regardless of party, under California's top-two primary system.
The two candidates who receive the most votes will face off in the general election to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who can't seek a third term. The crowded race includes Democrats Becerra, Steyer, former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, and Matt Mahan, the mayor of San Jose.
Hilton, a former Fox News host backed by President Donald Trump, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are the most prominent Republicans in the race. As of Friday afternoon, 13% of voters had cast their ballots. That included 13% of Democrats and 18% of Republicans, according to a tracker by Democratic strategist Paul Mitchell. The breakdown is unusual because Democrats in recent years have tended to vote early while many Republicans wait until Election Day.
Some Democrats have been waiting to cast their ballots to see if a candidate breaks away from the pack in the final days, or because they're unimpressed with the crowded field. Two polls conducted in mid-to-late May suggested that Becerra and Hilton each have the support of about 2 in 10 California likely voters.
In one poll, Steyer landed closer to Becerra and Hilton, with Bianco and Porter trailing further behind, but similar shares of voters were supporting Steyer, Bianco, and Porter in the other poll. None of the other candidates were in the double digits in either poll. The contenders have been traveling across the state that includes roughly 23 million registered voters as they seek an edge over rivals.
Becerra, Hilton, Steyer and Bianco will all be in the San Francisco Bay Area this weekend. Fresno and Los Angeles have also been popular campaign stops.
"This is not a place for on-the-job training," he said on a podcast hosted by political commentator Ana Navarro. "You better know what you're doing. " He'll hit a text-banking event with Democratic Attorney General Rob Bonta in San Francisco and rally with the Service Employees International Union in San Jose. Hilton has been selling himself as someone who would bring a fresh set of eyes to state government, reduce regulations, and bring down housing and energy costs.
He thinks it'll be a unifying message, he told reporters this week in Sacramento.
"It's not ideological," Hilton said. "It's just simple, practical commonsense - $3 gas, cut your electric bills in half. " Hilton will host a town hall in Silicon Valley on Saturday night. He has been cautious not to emphasize Trump's endorsement.
If he advances to the November election, he'll need to appeal to voters outside his party to win in the Democrat-dominated state that hasn't had a Republican governor since 2011. Steyer, a self-described "billionaire who wants to tax other billionaires," said the race was a contest between three candidates: Himself, Hilton and Becerra.
"There is a hard-right Republican who's endorsed by Donald Trump," he told a crowd of supporters at a sports bar in Berkeley. "The second candidate is Xavier Becerra, who, to my surprise, is a corporate Democrat," Steyer continued, referencing his acceptance of campaign contributions from Chevron. "And the third person's me," he said. "And I am running because Californians can't afford to live here anymore.
" Steyer's headed to a campaign rally Saturday in San Francisco to put a finer point on his message to voters. Mahan, meanwhile, will mingle with voters in Los Angeles, Porter will give a speech in Orange County, and Bianco will lay out his vision at a church in San Jose.4 suspects arrested, accused of staging IE crashes in alleged insurance fraud scheme
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California Primary Election: Top Candidates Debate Safety, Affordability, and ImmigrationThe top candidates vying to replace Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in California have been campaigning on ways to make the state safer, more affordable, and friendlier to businesses. The policies proposed by the candidates range from eliminating key environmental laws to providing free childcare and college tuition. The candidates include a Riverside County sheriff, a former senior advisor to British Prime Minister David Cameron, a former Los Angeles mayor, a billionaire hedge fund founder, and two former members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that began in California last summer have been hotly debated by Democratic and Republican candidates. Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra vowed to protect and lead the state against the Trump administration's attacks on immigrants and marginalized communities, while Republican candidate Steve Hilton opposes sanctuary city laws and calls for the deportation of criminal illegal immigrants. The candidates have also discussed important topics such as immigration, housing, homelessness, affordability, and the entertainment industry. The California primary election takes place on June 2, and the top two candidates will advance to the general election in November.
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Candidates for California governor scramble to deliver final pitch to voters with days to goSACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The end of California’s chaotic governor’s race was approaching Saturday as leading candidates rushed to deliver their closing
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Candidates for California governor scramble to deliver final pitch to voters with days to goThe many candidates running for California governor have been rushing to deliver their closing arguments to voters in the race’s final days before the June 2 primary.
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Candidates for California governor scramble to deliver final pitch to voters with days to goThe many candidates running for California governor have been rushing to deliver their closing arguments to voters in the race’s final days before the June 2 primary.
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