Two Republicans top a recent survey of likely voters in California's race to succeed term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom, prompting Democratic leaders to warn of a potential lockout from the general election. The EVITARUS Research poll, conducted March 12-17 among 2,000 voters, shows Steve Hilton at 16% and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco at 14%. Democrats Eric Swalwell, Katie Porter and Tom Steyer trail tied at 10%.
California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks addressed the poll results in a statement on Tuesday, noting that the findings confirm a low but real possibility of Democrats being excluded from the November general election under the state's top-two primary system. 'This initial survey shows two Republicans in the lead with multiple Democrats trailing behind,' Hicks said. He urged candidates to assess their paths to victory and consolidate support to ensure a Democrat wins the governorship in 2026, preserving the state's leadership role. Gov. Newsom has not endorsed anyone yet, though Swalwell recently gained backing from the Service Employees International Union. Other candidates, including former Health Secretary Xavier Becerra, ex-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, polled at 3% each. Additional surveys have shown Hilton and Bianco strong, with Swalwell occasionally in second. Internal Democratic tensions persist, with Steyer questioning Swalwell's California residency and Porter facing criticism over her temperament and staff treatment. The University of Southern California canceled a planned debate Tuesday with Hilton, Bianco, Swalwell, Porter, Mahan and Steyer, citing a lack of candidates of color, as reported by The Daily Wire. Republicans have called for their own consolidation to avoid a Democratic lockout, as Hilton tweeted in February. Separately, Bianco is investigating potential irregularities in November's Proposition 50 special election, seizing about 650,000 ballots after alleging 45,000 extra votes were counted. A state court rejected Attorney General Rob Bonta's bid to halt the action. Bonta's office called it a 'fishing expedition' meant to undermine election confidence, according to CalMatters.
