Tipsheet

Republican Advances to General Election in California Governor's Race

Cameron Arcand
Cameron Arcand  |  June 08, 2026 9:00 PM

Republican Steve Hilton will advance in the general election to become California’s next governor, Decision Desk HQ projected on Monday night. 

Hilton is at 25% of the vote on Monday night, with Becerra at 27.6%. The Republican recently slammed the length of time California takes to count ballots.

“Nearly a week into California's election shambles. The world is laughing at our inability to count votes in a timely manner. Where is Gavin Newsom?” he wrote on X..

“No comment except to reject my plan to speed things up. We deserve better than a do-nothing, checked-out governor. Time for change!” he added. 

Hilton will face off against former United States Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, who became a late leader in the race following then-Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-CA) campaign suspension amid sexual misconduct allegations.

“California has spoken. Thank you for standing with us. To every volunteer who made a call, sent a text, knocked a door, or showed up when it mattered most — this victory belongs to you,” Becerra posted to X on Friday. 

“We're just getting started. On to November,” the Democrat added.

Billionaire climate activist Tom Steyer was also widely considered a top contender in the race, as he spent hundreds of millions on his campaign, including on endless television advertisements. 

Hilton was endorsed by President Donald Trump, and polling prior to Swalwell’s exit indicated a slight chance that Republicans would lock out Democrats in the race. Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco was the other high-profile Republican in the race, and he got just over 10% of the vote share in the wide field as of Monday night.