A UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies survey of nearly 5,000 registered California voters found former Rep. Katie Porter leading the early 2026 governor field with 17%. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco polled at 10% and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra at 9%. Nearly 40% of respondents said they were undecided, leaving the contest wide open despite Porter's small lead. An Emerson College poll earlier this month similarly had Porter at 18%, with Fox News commentator Steve Hilton at 12%. Porter drew rapid donor support after former Vice President Kamala Harris announced she would not run, while Harris left the door open for a potential 2028 presidential bid.
The newly-released survey of nearly 5,000 registered voters throughout California by the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies echoes several other polls that have found enthusiasm for Porter, a former Orange County congresswoman who left Congress in January after she ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate last year. Porter received 17% of the voters' first picks. Trailing her were Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, at 10%, and former U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, at 9%.
The pollsters emphasized that many more respondents hadn't made up their minds yet. Nearly 40% of the voters surveyed said they were undecided. She's got a small lead, let's put it that way, said Mark DiCamillo, the institute's polling director. I wouldn't say she's the favorite. It's a wide-open race. It's the second independent poll of the governor's race this month that found Porter leading the field, but with small shares of voters.
Meanwhile, Porter quickly raked in support from donors when former Vice President Kamala Harris announced late last month that she will not run for governor. A spokesperson for Porter did not respond to a comment request. In her statement explaining her decision, Harris left the door open for a possible run for president in 2028, which would be her third attempt.
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