California has spoken. We're just getting started.
In the long arc of California's political life, a former attorney general and federal health secretary has emerged from a crowded and uncertain primary to claim a place on November's gubernatorial ballot — a result that arrived not on election night, but carried in slowly by mail, as the state's counting process demands. Xavier Becerra's advance carries a quiet historical resonance: a victory in the fall would place a Latino governor in Sacramento for the first time in a century and a half. The contest behind him remains unresolved, with a billionaire environmentalist and a former television host still contending for the second spot, while the deeper question — whether California's promise of opportunity still holds meaning for its people — hangs over the entire campaign.
- Becerra's path to the general election only clarified days after polls closed, as late mail ballots reversed the week's earlier momentum and unsettled what many assumed was a settled race.
- The second slot in November remains genuinely contested, with Tom Steyer steadily closing the gap on Steve Hilton in a count that has yet to reach its conclusion.
- Hilton has publicly attacked California's ballot-counting process without evidence of wrongdoing, drawing support from national Republican figures and adding a charged political undercurrent to an already tense finish.
- Beneath the horse-race drama lies a state in economic distress — seven in ten voters call their cost of living unmanageable, and only a sliver believe the California Dream still exists.
- The November election will ask whether a state that has voted Democratic for governor since 2010 will hold that pattern, or whether accumulated economic frustration finally reshapes the outcome.
Xavier Becerra, former California attorney general and federal health secretary, has secured a place in November's gubernatorial general election, with CBS News projecting his first-place finish after late mail ballots shifted the race's momentum away from Republican Steve Hilton. The result took most of the week to materialize — a familiar rhythm under California's counting process, though one that has drawn fresh criticism from Hilton and national Republican voices.
The second spot in the general election remains unresolved. Hilton and billionaire Democrat Tom Steyer are locked in a narrowing contest, with Steyer gaining ground in recent ballot drops. California's top-two primary system sends only the leading vote-getters to November, regardless of party, meaning the two finalists could represent the same party or opposing ones.
Becerra acknowledged the result on social media with characteristic restraint, crediting volunteers and framing the outcome as a shared effort. The stakes are not merely electoral: should he win in November, he would become the first Latino governor of California in 150 years, a line of succession stretching back to Romualdo Pacheco in the 1870s.
The race to succeed term-limited Gavin Newsom drew an unusually wide and competitive field. Several prominent candidates — including Katie Porter, Matt Mahan, and Antonio Villaraigosa — conceded quickly on election night, leaving Becerra, Hilton, and Steyer as the contest's enduring figures.
The campaign played out against a backdrop of deep economic unease. Seventy percent of registered California voters described their cost of living as unmanageable, and just 7 percent believed the California Dream remains achievable — with nearly two-thirds saying they doubted it ever would be again. Whether that anxiety translates into a political realignment, or whether California's long Democratic hold on the governorship continues, is the central question November will answer.
Xavier Becerra, the former federal health secretary and California attorney general, has secured a spot in November's gubernatorial election, CBS News projects. The Democrat's path to the general ballot came into focus Friday as late-arriving mail ballots shifted the race's momentum, pushing him past Republican Steve Hilton, who had led the field for most of the week.
California's top-two primary system means only the two highest vote-getters advance to face each other in November, regardless of party. That second slot remains unsettled. Hilton and Tom Steyer, a billionaire environmental activist and Democrat, are locked in a tightening contest. Steyer has gained ground in recent returns, narrowing what was once a more comfortable margin between the two men.
Becerra posted to social media after the projection, thanking volunteers and supporters. "California has spoken," he wrote, framing the result as a collective effort rather than a personal triumph. The message carried weight beyond the immediate primary: if he wins in November, Becerra would become the state's first Latino governor in 150 years, since Romulaldo Pacheco held the office in the 1870s.
The race to replace term-limited Governor Gavin Newsom drew a notably diverse field—politicians, businesspeople, media figures—suggesting what many observers saw as one of California's most competitive open-seat contests in recent memory. Pre-election surveys showed no candidate with a commanding lead and large blocs of undecided voters. Hilton, Becerra, and Steyer consistently occupied the top tier, but the outcome remained genuinely uncertain until ballots began arriving Tuesday.
Several prominent candidates exited the race quickly. Former Orange County Representative Katie Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and ex-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa all conceded shortly after polls closed. Other notable contenders included State Superintendent Tony Thurmond, a Democrat, and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican.
The campaign unfolded against a backdrop of economic anxiety. A survey found that 70 percent of registered California voters described their cost of living as unmanageable. The same polling revealed deeper pessimism: only 7 percent believed the California Dream—the state's historic promise of opportunity and upward mobility—remains achievable today, while 64 percent said they lacked confidence it ever would be again.
Hilton, the former Fox News host, has criticized California's ballot-counting process, claiming without evidence that it is flawed. He pledged that if elected, he would "end this FARCE" and ensure all votes are counted within 48 hours of the mail-in deadline. State and local election officials have defended their procedures, noting that all ballots undergo identical verification requirements regardless of arrival timing. The counting pace has also drawn criticism from President Donald Trump and other Republicans, though election administrators say the process is secure and lawful.
California has voted Democratic for governor since 2010, when Jerry Brown succeeded Arnold Schwarzenegger. The November matchup will test whether that pattern holds, and whether economic discontent reshapes the state's political landscape.
Notable Quotes
California has spoken. Thank you for standing with us. We're just getting started. On to November.— Xavier Becerra, in a social media post after advancing to the general election
If elected, he pledged to end what he called the 'FARCE' of ballot counting and ensure all votes are counted within 48 hours of the mail-in deadline.— Steve Hilton, criticizing California's election process
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why did Becerra's position shift so dramatically in the final days? What changed?
The mail ballots that arrived Friday broke differently than early returns. Hilton had led throughout the week, but those later ballots favored Becerra enough to put him over the top. It's not unusual in California—mail voting is heavy, and the final batches can reshape a race.
And Steyer is still fighting for that second spot against Hilton. How close is it really?
Close enough that it's genuinely uncertain. Steyer has been gaining ground with each new batch of returns. The gap has narrowed significantly. We won't know for certain until the count is complete.
If Becerra wins in November, what would that mean historically?
He'd be the first Latino governor in 150 years. That's not a small thing. The last one was Romulaldo Pacheco back in the 1870s. It would mark a real shift in the state's political representation.
The polling showed massive economic anxiety. Did that shape who made it through?
It was everywhere in the campaign. Seventy percent of voters said their cost of living is unmanageable. Only 7 percent think the California Dream is still real. That kind of discontent doesn't disappear in a primary—it just determines which candidates can credibly claim they'll address it.
Hilton's been attacking the ballot-counting process. Is there substance to that?
Election officials say no. They point out that all ballots get the same verification, whether they arrive early or late. But the criticism has resonated with some voters and with Trump. It's become part of the narrative, even if the underlying claims lack evidence.
What happens now, before November?
Steyer and Hilton will finish their battle for second place. Once that's settled, you'll have two very different visions of California facing off. The economic anxiety that defined the primary won't disappear—it'll likely dominate the general election too.