California Governor’s Race Set for Becerra, Hilton Showdown

June 9, 2026, 1:26 AM UTC

The race for California governor is on track for a two-person runoff in November between veteran Democratic politician Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton, a British-born television personality endorsed by President Donald Trump.

Becerra, who served as US health secretary in the Biden administration, took first place in the primary with more than 27% of the vote, while Hilton was in second at 25%, according to a tally by Decision Desk HQ, which projected the pair would be the top two finishers.

Under California’s primary system, the two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election ...

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