California governor's primary pitted experience against promises of change

By — Sophie Austin, Associated Press Sophie Austin, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/california-governors-primary-pitted-experience-against-promises-of-change Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter California governor's primary pitted experience against promises of change Politics Jun 3, 2026 4:37 PM EDT SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California's crowded primary for governor remained unresolved early Wednesday after three leading candidates tested voters' appetites for an experienced politician or promises of sweeping change. Though votes were still being counted, Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer and Republican Steve Hilton started looking to November, laying out their visions for leading the nation's most populous state and one of the world's largest economies. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Only two will advance to the general election, however, and The Associated Press has not yet called the primary for any candidate. The state has a history of substantial vote updates after Election Day that can sometimes shift the outcome of elections as late-arriving mail and drop-off votes are counted. Hilton and Becerra were leading so far, with Steyer running slightly further back. READ MORE: Live Results: California midterm primaries "Change is coming to California, and it's long overdue," Hilton told supporters after polls closed, reflecting his campaign message that the state needs a dramatic reset after more than 15 years of Democratic rule. Steyer also campaigned on change, though through a vastly different lens. A former hedge fund manager turned climate activist, he pledged to raise taxes on corporations and the ultrawealthy like himself. He declared Tuesday that he would prevail over monied interests that strived to defeat him. READ MORE: Candidates for California governor and LA mayor make their final pitches to voters Becerra, meanwhile, pitched himself as the steady hand who can lead the state against intrusions from the Trump administration, touting his decades in public service in Congress, as state attorney general and as federal health secretary. Speaking to supporters, he said voters came around to his message after he initially was counted out. "The underdog stayed in the fight," Becerra said to applause. READ MORE: California holds crowded primary with dozens of candidates to replace Newsom California puts all candidates on a single primary ballot regardless of party, and the top two finishers advance to the November general election. About 60 candidates were on the ballot, most of them largely unknown to the state's roughly 23 million voters. Affordability at the center of campaign The through line of the race was how to tackle the state's notoriously high cost of living. Drivers were paying $6.08 per gallon at the pump as of the end of May, $1.65 h