Hilton and Becerra lead early in California governor’s primary

Early results from California's gubernatorial primary election, held on June 2, 2026, indicate that Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton are currently leading the field. The race for the top two spots, which will advance to the November general election, remains exceptionally tight, with Democrat Tom Steyer also positioned as a strong contender for second place.

Polls conducted just before the primary showed Becerra, a Democrat, in the lead, while Republican Hilton and Democrat Steyer were in a close contest for the crucial second position. Voters cast their ballots amidst ongoing concerns and warnings regarding the potential for election misinformation to influence the outcome of key races. Official results for the primary are still being tallied and certified, a process that can take several days or even weeks in California.