Xavier Becerra Leads Poll Following Eric Swalwell’s Exit from Governor Race
A recent Emerson College poll shows a notable shake-up in California’s governor race after Eric Swalwell exited. Swalwell left the contest amid multiple sexual misconduct allegations. The survey marks a rise for Xavier Becerra and renewed volatility among voters.
Poll results
The Emerson College Inside California Politics poll places Steve Hilton first at 17 percent. Chad Bianco follows with 14 percent. Xavier Becerra stands at 10 percent, a seven-point jump since March.
Among Democratic contenders, Tom Steyer leads with 14 percent. Becerra and Katie Porter each register 10 percent. San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan is at 5 percent. The poll finds 23 percent of voters remain undecided.
Context and timing
The survey was carried out immediately after Swalwell’s exit. It also came shortly after former President Trump endorsed Hilton for governor. Those events appear to have influenced voter movement.
Becerra’s rise follows his tenure as California attorney general and as Health and Human Services Secretary. The new numbers show Xavier Becerra increasingly visible in the governor race.
Responses from analysts and campaigns
Sara Sadhwani, a Pomona College politics professor, said the development increases uncertainty. She called the field more volatile now than before Swalwell’s departure.
Zev Yaroslavsky, director at UCLA’s Luskin School of Public Affairs, noted Becerra made the largest gain. He added Trump’s endorsement could boost Hilton further and pressure Bianco’s standing.
GOP convention and delegate results
The California GOP held its convention last weekend without making an official endorsement. Delegates cast the most votes for Chad Bianco.
Bianco described the outcome as positive. He said his team worked hard, and he criticized an opponent’s heavy spending, which he estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Election calendar and implications
State ballots are set to go out at the beginning of next month. The primary is less than seven weeks away. Analysts warn the race remains fluid with many voters undecided.
Under California’s primary rules, only the top two finishers in June advance to the November general election. Campaigns will be focused on moving undecided voters in the final weeks.
- Pollster: Emerson College Inside California Politics
- Hilton: 17%
- Bianco: 14%
- Becerra: 10% (up seven points)
- Tom Steyer: 14% (leading Democrats)
- Katie Porter: 10%
- Matt Mahan: 5%
- Undecided: 23%
Filmogaz.com will continue to monitor developments as the contest tightens. Campaigns may shift quickly in response to endorsements and voter movement.
