Full Breakdown
Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra Advance to California Gubernatorial General Election
6/10/2026, 5:37:24 AM
Primary Election Result
California’s June 2, 2026 primary placed Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton in the November runoff. Becerra led the vote count, while Hilton finished ahead of billionaire progressive Tom Steyer, who placed third. The open primary, which allows all voters to choose any candidate, occurs in a state where Democrats hold a two-to-one registration advantage and have won the last three gubernatorial contests.
Vote Totals
With 88 % of ballots tallied, Associated Press reported Becerra at 27.9 % of the vote, Hilton at 24.9 % and Steyer at 22.6 %. Early returns briefly showed Hilton ahead, prompting former President Donald Trump to allege a victory before Becerra overtook him on June 5 as mail-in ballots continued to be counted.
Official Statements & Responses
Hilton described his campaign as the start of a broader movement focused on pragmatic governance. Trump publicly asserted that “Dumocrats” were attempting to steal the primary through massive late-mail ballots. Becerra’s team highlighted his extensive public-service record and cited endorsements from congressional leaders and labor unions.
Criticism & Opposition
Becerra’s tenure as attorney general attracted criticism for pursuing a state-supreme-court case to raise an intellectually disabled Black man’s IQ for execution and for defending death-penalty sentences during the COVID-19 moratorium, as well as for alleged mishandling of migrant children while serving as HHS secretary. Hilton faced backlash for a viral video in which he labeled a hard-shell tortilla a “street taco” and for aligning with a president who remains unpopular among California voters.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Trump’s allegations of election rigging conflict with the Associated Press’s certification of the vote count and with the absence of independent verification. No evidence of fraud has been presented, leaving a gap between partisan accusations and documented results.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Change is coming, and the campaign for change starts today.” — Steve Hilton, Republican candidate
- “will be to deliver pretty pragmatic things, all focused on making your life easier and better.” — Steve Hilton, Republican candidate
- “a pragmatist, not an ideologue” — Steve Hilton, Republican candidate
- “trying to STEAL THE GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA PRIMARY, AND THE MAYOR OF LOS ANGELES, PRIMARY, AWAY FROM TWO GREAT REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES. Here we go with the very late and massive numbers of MAIL IN BALLOTS.” — Donald Trump, former president
Why It Matters
A Hilton victory would end a decade-long Democratic hold on the governor’s office, marking the first Republican governor since Arnold Schwarzenegger. Such a shift could alter California’s policy direction and its interaction with the federal government, especially given Hilton’s stated willingness to cooperate with the Trump administration.
What’s Next
Becerra and Hilton will campaign through the fall, with the November 5 general election deciding whether California elects a Republican governor for the first time in over a decade.
