{"id":1764,"date":"2026-05-13T17:33:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T17:33:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/these-three-candidates-are-at-the-top-of-a-new-governors-race-poll\/"},"modified":"2026-05-13T17:33:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T17:33:15","slug":"these-three-candidates-are-at-the-top-of-a-new-governors-race-poll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/these-three-candidates-are-at-the-top-of-a-new-governors-race-poll\/","title":{"rendered":"These three candidates are at the top of a new governor\u2019s race poll"},"content":{"rendered":"<article><!-- --><!-- --><!-- WPS-5038 -- removed the script from WPS and added the placeholder for trinity player --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- CONTENT --><!--[--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>With less than three weeks remaining before the June 2 primary, Democrat Xavier Becerra holds a narrow lead in the governor\u2019s race, according to an Emerson College poll released Tuesday.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/state-controller-warns-cas-spending-outpaces-revenue-ahead-of-budget-release\/\">State controller warns CA\u2019s spending outpaces revenue ahead of budget release<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The former state attorney general was the top pick for 19% of likely voters, trailed by Democrat Tom Steyer, a billionaire environmental activist, and Republican Steve Hilton, a former Fox News host, both of whom garnered 17% support.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The trio of candidates is running within the margin of error and hold a notable edge on the remaining candidates:<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco (R) &#8211; 11%<\/li>\n<li>Former Rep. Katie Porter (D) &#8211; 10%<\/li>\n<li>San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan (D) &#8211; 8%<\/li>\n<li>Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) &#8211; 4%<\/li>\n<li>State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond (D) &#8211; 1%<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The poll found 12% of likely voters remain undecided. And even among voters who listed a top choice, 40% say they could change their mind and vote for someone else.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom got mixed marks in the poll, with 43% approving of his job as governor and 40% disapproving.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/homeless-count-in-sacramento-county-increases-13-from-2024-report-shows\/\">Homeless count in Sacramento County increases 13% from 2024, report shows<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<div> <iframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"550\" marginheight=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" src=\"https:\/\/docs.google.com\/forms\/d\/e\/1FAIpQLScem0xfF1rapwAWKqWjd5-WVXiVTbOqjdGNI4DFfN-KnJsQDw\/viewform?embedded=true\" width=\"100%\">Loading\u2026<\/iframe><\/div>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Emerson polls since September reflect a race to replace Newsom that\u2019s been in constant flux. Emerson\u2019s first poll in September showed Porter with a small lead over other candidates. In the months since, Steyer, a former hedge fund manager, has leveraged a large cash advantage to steadily gained ground; he\u2019s plowed nearly $179 million of his own money into his campaign as of Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Becerra had an especially dramatic rise, spiking from 3% in March to 19% in May after Rep. Eric Swalwell dropped out of the race.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The poll was conducted May 9-10, after two combative debates where rivals attacked Becerra\u2019s record as secretary of health and human services under President Joe Biden and his connection to a corruption scandal involving a former aide who siphoned campaign funds from Becerra\u2019s dormant campaign account. Becerra has not been accused of wrongdoing by federal authorities.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The candidates are set to meet at a final debate on Thursday hosted by CBS News California and the San Francisco Examiner. It will run on CBS stations across the state at 5:30 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/sandiegorelocationnews.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/13\/could-legal-principle-rooted-in-dueling-shape-sacramento-k-street-shooting-trial-3\/\">Could legal principle rooted in dueling shape Sacramento K Street shooting trial?<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--]--><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Emerson College poll finds Xavier Becerra, Tom Steyer and Steve Hilton leading a close California governor\u2019s race ahead of the June 2 primary with many voters undecided.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1763,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-capitol-alert"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - 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