Xavier Becerra Advances With 1.70 Million Votes as Steve Hilton Takes Second at 26.3%
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6
Xavier Becerra Advances With 1.70 Million Votes as Steve Hilton Takes Second at 26.3%
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 6
Summary
1,698,049 votes put Xavier Becerra into California’s November governor general election, with the open primary called and Steve Hilton also advancing under the state’s top-two system.
Hilton trailed by about 24,500 votes, taking 1,673,564 votes and 26.34% to Becerra’s 26.73%, while Democrat Tom Steyer finished third with 1,334,592 votes, or 21.01%.
County returns showed a split map: Becerra ran strongest in Los Angeles County, where he led by 6 points, while Hilton posted double-digit margins across many inland and smaller counties and led Orange and San Diego.
The standings could still shift at the margins because California counts mail ballots postmarked by Election Day for a week, and Los Angeles County alone still had roughly 700,000 ballots to process through Wednesday.
Even with the close primary finish, November’s race starts in a state Cook Political Report rated Solidly Democratic.
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A victim of campaign theft, but could his own approvals have enabled the embezzlement scheme?
Becerra and Hilton Advance: How Trump’s Endorsement and California’s Top-Two Primary Shaped the 2026 Gubernatorial Showdown
Overview
The 2026 California gubernatorial primary produced an unexpected result when, under the state's 'top-two' system, Republican Steve Hilton advanced alongside Democrat Xavier Becerra, defying predictions of a Democrat-only runoff. This outcome was shaped by President Trump’s endorsement, which unified previously divided Republican support behind Hilton. As a result, the chance of two Democrats advancing diminished, and the race shifted dramatically. A new poll confirmed Becerra and Hilton as the leading candidates, setting the stage for a general election that reflects both the unique primary system and the powerful influence of national endorsements on state politics.