Updated June 9, 2026 at 7:59 PM EDT
SAN FRANCISCO — Republican Steve Hilton will face off against Democrat Xavier Becerra in the November election for California governor, according to a race call Tuesday by The Associated Press.
Hilton, a former Fox News commentator, was endorsed by President Trump and has campaigned on the idea that California needs change after 16 years under total Democratic control.
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Friday, the AP called the top spot in the primary for Becerra. California's unusual primary system means that all candidates, regardless of party, appear on a single ballot open to any registered voter. The top two candidates then move on to the general election.
Becerra, former Health and Human Services secretary under President Joe Biden, has staged one of the most surprising comebacks in recent state political history. As recently as April, polls were showing Becerra — also a former member of Congress and California attorney general — languishing in single digits in a crowded field.
"The people of the great state of California, in the greatest nation on earth, have spoken — loudly and proudly," Becerra said in a written statement. "We will not be bought. We will not be bullied. And we are never backing down. November, here we come."
The state hasn't had a wide-open primary like this one since the late 1990s. The winner in November will lead the country's most populous state, facing a large deficit and other obstacles, including the state's high cost of living, homelessness and wildfire risk. Incumbent Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, is term limited and is widely thought to be running for president in 2028.
The Hilton win puts Becerra on a glide path to victory. Winning statewide would be an uphill battle for any Republican in a state where there are nearly twice as many Democrats as Republicans. No GOP candidate has won statewide in 20 years.
Democratic activist Tom Steyer will likely finish third. If the billionaire former hedge fund manager had made it to the runoff, it would have set up a costly intraparty fight. Steyer spent more than $213 million of his own money to boost his candidacy, making the race the most expensive gubernatorial election in California.
It's already been an election of unexpected developments. Some of the state's most high-profile Democrats — former Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Sen. Alex Padilla and California Attorney General Rob Bonta — all stayed out of the race from the beginning.
In April, the race was disrupted when then-U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell's campaign for governor imploded amid allegations of sexual assault and harassment. Swalwell resigned from Congress shortly after the accusations surfaced and has denied assault allegations.
Swalwell had been gaining in polls and racking up high-profile endorsements and his exit seemed to primarily benefit Becerra.
The narrowing field also quieted Democrats' fears of splitting their vote to the extent that Bianco and Hilton would win the top spots in the June primary. That would have resulted in a guaranteed Republican governor in a state where Democrats outnumber GOP voters 2 to 1. Instead, though, Becerra surged.
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