Xavier Becerra Leads California Gubernatorial Race Against Steve Hilton

Democratic candidate Xavier Becerra holds a significant lead over Republican Steve Hilton in the 2026 California gubernatorial election to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom. A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll conducted through November 2 showed Becerra leading with 61% of likely voters compared to 34% for Hilton. Becerra, a former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary and California Attorney General, is campaigning on his government experience and a platform of expanding healthcare and resisting the policies of President Donald Trump.

Republican candidate Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host endorsed by President Trump, has positioned himself as a political outsider. Hilton pledged to abolish the DMV, reduce gas prices to $3 per gallon, and eliminate state income taxes on the first $150,000 of income. The race has been marked by legal conflict after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from the Trump administration and the Department of Justice to set aside approximately 20,000 mail-in ballots from suspected noncitizens.

Election day on November 3 saw a surge in participation, with early data indicating the state may see the largest raw vote in its history for a gubernatorial contest. Voter turnout was notably higher among Latino residents, rising from 13% in 2022 to 17% statewide. Beyond the executive race, California voters are deciding on 14 ballot propositions, including Proposition 40, a first-in-the-nation 5% one-time tax on billionaires intended to offset federal healthcare funding cuts. If elected, Becerra would become the first Latino governor of California in modern times.