New Poll Finds Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton Increasing Their Leads In Governor's Race

A new poll indicates Xavier Becerra and Steve Hilton are the leading candidates for California governor, with Becerra at 21% and Hilton at 22%. Tom Steyer remains in the race at 15%, and the final two weeks before the June 2 primary are expected to bring heavy attack advertising across airwaves and YouTube. Becerra’s campaign targets Steyer’s progressive record, inexperience, and earlier fossil fuel investments. Steyer’s campaign targets Becerra’s ties to the oil industry, his position on single-payer healthcare, and negative comments from former Biden White House colleagues. Other Democrats poll in single digits, including Katie Porter at 7%, Matt Mahan at 4%, and Tony Thurmond and Antonio Villaraigosa at 1%. The most likely primary outcome is Hilton and Becerra advancing, with other less likely combinations possible.

"Becerra has tightened his lead in the new poll, and he's virtually tied with Republican Steve Hilton, with Becerra at 21% and Hilton at 22%. As CalMatters notes, billionaire Tom Steyer is still not out of the race at 15%, and these final two weeks before the June 2 primary will see the airwaves and YouTube screens flooded with attack ads from both sides."

"Becerra's camp has been attacking Steyer's progressive bona fides, his inexperience, and pointing to his earlier investments in fossil fuels, while Steyer's campaign has been attacking Becerra's ties to the oil industry, his hedging on single-payer healthcare, and some negative comments from his former colleagues in the Biden White House."

"Becerra has also been attacked by his fellow candidates on the debate stage over a recent scandal and federal embezzlement case involving a former campaign manager and close aide, which involves the illegal siphoning of campaign funds. It's unclear whether any of these attacks have moved the needle."

"The new poll, commissioned by the state Democratic Party, finds the remaining Democrats all polling in the single digits, including former Orange County congresswoman Katie Porter who's now at 7% and this comes after an Emerson College poll, from just days earlier, that had Porter on the rise at 13%. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is at 4% in the new poll, and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa are both at 1%."

Read at sfist.com