# Election of a new Governor of California, 2026 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 3, 2026, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986 "2026-04-03T03:51:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/121 "2026-04-23T18:12:41Z")
> [@mtnmatt](#): > > In the end, I will vote D, provided we are not stupid enough to not have at least one on the Nov. ballot. As pointed out earlier in this thread, there is going to be a Democratic candidate on the ballot. There’s no reasonable chance for there not to be. You shouldn’t be concerned about that at least. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/122 "2026-04-23T18:22:16Z")
[Polling has shown the top two candidates](https://www.abc10.com/article/news/politics/california-governor-race-poll-hilton-bianco-lead-becerra-gains-support/103-1bf606df-6054-4be9-b9c2-68eafada61dc) have been Hilton and Bianco, both Republicans, so it is a possibility there will not be a Democrat on the general election ballot. The good news is it appears Steyer and Becerra have been doing better in recent polls but the large number of Democrats running in the primary is splitting the vote so the GOP is doing better than would be normal in CA. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/123 "2026-04-23T18:29:10Z")
> [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](#): > > [Polling has shown the top two candidates](https://www.abc10.com/article/news/politics/california-governor-race-poll-hilton-bianco-lead-becerra-gains-support/103-1bf606df-6054-4be9-b9c2-68eafada61dc) have been Hilton and Bianco, both Republicans, so it is a possibility there will not be a Democrat on the general election ballot. I don’t think that polling is realistic. > [@Election of a new Governor of California, 2026](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/86): > > This article is from today: [San Francisco Chronicle: “The odds of a Democratic lockout in the California governor’s race have shrunk dramatically”](https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/joegarofoli/article/governor-california-democrat-republican-22208819.php) Sacramento data expert Paul Mitchell, who created an online [model](https://twins-production-9381.up.railway.app/) that simulates thousands of election scenarios, said that “the program really believes that the odds of two Republicans splitting the vote is more remote, almost nonexistent.” That seems like good news. Also… Analysts also said President Donald Trump’s endorsement this month of … ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/124 "2026-04-23T19:20:30Z")
There’s lots of time before the election and a few Democrats will almost certainly drop out, and support will coalesce behind one or two of the others. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/125 "2026-04-23T19:59:50Z")
Steyer is now barely above Bianco in 2nd place; Becerra has shot up to 4th place; Porter is holding steady in 5th place. This is based on the link I posted way up-thread, a poll aggregator called racetothewh dot com. I was going to say that it would be an interesting exercise, if (emphasis on the hypothetical) the Democrats were locked out, to see if the state’s D voters could rally around one write-in candidate, and, with the Republican vote split, win the general election. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/126 "2026-04-23T23:39:21Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I was going to say that it would be an interesting exercise, if (emphasis on the hypothetical) the Democrats were locked out, It’d almost be worth it just to make it clear to the powers that be that the jungle primary system they have is not a good one. And they should adopt a better one, possibly like the one Alaska has. Did not someone point out the hazard before they adopted this system? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2026, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/127 "2026-04-23T23:46:17Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > And they should adopt a better one, possibly like the one Alaska has. Did not someone point out the hazard before they adopted this system? WA has had the same system for longer than CA has, and it’s worked out fine here. I don’t recall any major races where the general didn’t wind up being one Republican vs. one Democrat. OTOH, CA has had major races between two Democrats - when Kamala Harris ran for Senate in 2016, her opponent in the general was another Dem. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/128 "2026-04-24T00:21:44Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > WA has had the same system for longer than CA has, and it’s worked out fine here. I don’t recall any major races where the general didn’t wind up being one Republican vs. one Democrat. Yeah, I’ve liked the primary in WA also. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/129 "2026-04-24T00:33:34Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I get that the position is one of leadership, and that leadership can affect the outcome. But he is saying “I will do (these things).” That’s kind of inherent in the election of any executive in a non-parliamentary system. All executives campaign on what they’re going to do, even though they can do almost none of it without the cooperation of the legislature. And they kind of have to campaign on that, because otherwise, there’s not really anything they can say. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/130 "2026-04-24T01:59:38Z")
I disagree. First, it’s one thing to make promises that can be achieved through leadership and arm twisting, it’s another to make promises for things that are, for all intents and purposes, impossible. Charge and convict ICE agents (and their federal office holder leaders) with state crimes for violating state laws in California? That’s the most obvious one from Steyer that comes to mind. I don’t think executive-position campaigning has always been this way, I think it’s an infection from Trump. He has gotten away with promising everything, including things over which he has no control and little influence, and no-one holds him accountable. It’s a vicious promise inflation that destroys trust (such as it ever was), and I see that strongest, among the candidates for Governor, with Steyer. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/131 "2026-04-24T02:19:58Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > Charge and convict ICE agents (and their federal office holder leaders) with state crimes for violating state laws in California? That’s the most obvious one from Steyer that comes to mind. But that’s something that a governor can do. In fact, that’s something the executive can do even without the other branches cooperating (well, the charging, at least: The convicting is up to juries serving in the judicial branch). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/132 "2026-04-24T02:45:29Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > for all intents and purposes, impossible. Charge and convict ICE agents (and their federal office holder leaders) with state crimes for violating state laws in California? That’s the most obvious one from Steyer that comes to mind. Possible. As long as their crimes were committed outside of their official duties. In fact one ICE agent is being indicted for such. But that would be rare. > [@Chronos](#): > > But that’s something that a governor can do. Only in that case I mentioned above. Unfortunately the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause makes this unlikely in most cases- > **[Can ICE Agents Be Prosecuted? Stanford Law’s Robert Weisberg Explains Federal...](https://law.stanford.edu/2026/01/27/can-ice-agents-be-prosecuted-stanford-laws-robert-weisberg-explains-federal-shootings-and-constitutional-limits/)** > > The Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security launched “Operation Metro Surge” in December 2025, targeting the Twin Cities for larg ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/133 "2026-04-24T03:01:24Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > they should adopt a better one, possibly like the one Alaska has. Ranked choice seems awfully complicated. If he loses, el donald would take advantage of the difficulty his cult would have understanding the mathematics to scream that it is rigged. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/134 "2026-04-24T03:07:11Z")
But he would scream that in any case, even when he wins. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/135 "2026-04-24T03:30:52Z")
Yes. Then (as we saw in 2016), he just bitches and moans that he would’ve won even _more_ bigly, had it not been for Massive Voter Fraud and Other Really Bad Stuff by Teh Libs! ---
**Author:** ![duality72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duality72/32/3910_2.png) [@duality72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duality72)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/136 "2026-04-24T05:34:39Z")
Well PG&E has launched a $10 million PAC to oppose Tom Steyer, so I guess I have to increase my consideration for him now. > **[PG&E launches $10 million PAC to take out gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer](https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/23/pg-e-10-million-pac-against-gubernatorial-candidate-tom-steyer/)** > > Also in today’s Power Play: The Ethics Commission investigates contractors making prohibited donations to mayoral candidates. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/137 "2026-04-24T10:47:59Z")
And who decides whether a particular action is within the course of their official duties? A court, trying them for criminal offenses. Charging them for their crimes is an essential first step, and I wouldn’t support any candidate who wasn’t willing to take even that minimal step. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2026, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/138 "2026-04-24T15:12:21Z")
> [@duality72](#): > > Well PG&E has launched a $10 million PAC to oppose Tom Steyer, so I guess I have to increase my consideration for him now. > > [https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/23/pg-e-10-million-pac-against-gubernatorial-candidate-tom-steyer/](https://sfstandard.com/2026/04/23/pg-e-10-million-pac-against-gubernatorial-candidate-tom-steyer/) Points for Steyer here, that’s for sure. I’ve seen the ads for “California is not for sale” and they are very dirty ads. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2026, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/139 "2026-04-28T15:37:03Z")
CNN: Why Xavier Becerra is rising in the California governor’s race > **[Why Xavier Becerra is rising in the California governor’s race | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/28/politics/xavier-becerra-california-governor)** > > Xavier Becerra’s rise in the California gubernatorial race was made clear in a recent debate when a rival went after him. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2026, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986/140 "2026-04-28T22:09:20Z")
YouTube ad report: The once constant barrage of pro-Steyer ads have now flipped into a relentless flood of anti-Steyer ads. It’s almost like now that he has a small lead Steyer is backing down on the ad buys and those opposed to him are going all in to try and short-circuit it. Meanwhile the next largest slate of ads I’ve been seeing is pro-Matt Mahan ads. Apparently he has relatively low name recognition in the race. Looks like he is making a last minute bid to turn that around. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/election-of-a-new-governor-of-california-2026/1028986.md?page=8)