Hilton and Becerra Pull Away in New Governor Poll, as Mahan and Porter Fade

Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra pulled ahead in a statewide tracking poll of likely voters. Tom Steyer placed third, while Chad Bianco, Katie Porter, and Matt Mahan fell further behind. Support for Matt Mahan dropped by half compared with a week earlier. The poll surveyed 1,200 likely voters from May 14 to May 16 after a May 14 debate. Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks reported that 37% of likely voters had already voted and expected most voters to vote by mail before the June 2 primary. Undecided voters fell below 18%, making a GOP 1-2 finish less likely.

"Steve Hilton (R) - 22% Xavier Becerra (D) - 21% Tom Steyer (D) - 15% Chad Bianco (R) -10% Katie Porter (D) - 7% Matt Mahan (D) - 4% Antonio Villaraigosa (D) - 1% Tony Thurmond (D) - 1% Betty Yee (D) - <1% suspended campaign Eric Swalwell (D) - <1% withdrew from race"

"Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks said 37% of likely voters said they had already voted. State officials expected that 90% of California voters - Democrats, Republicans and Independents - to vote by mail before that official June 2 primary election ballot count. Hicks called today's poll " the fifth and final edition" of his party's independent polling effort that began two months ago in an effort to narrow the field and avoid a GOP 1-2 finish."

"Support for Mahan - who raised and spent more than any other candidate besides billionaire Steyer's self-funded campaign - in today's poll results was cut in half from a week ago. San Jose Inside reached out to the Mahan campaign, but the campaign had released no statement on the poll as of 11pm Tuesday."

"That prospect now seems unlikely, with Republican Hilton and Democrats Becerra and Steyer separating from the pack, and the percent of undecided voters dropping below 18%."

Read at San Jose Inside