California primary election results: Hilton narrowly leads as governor’s race remains too close to call
Early results show Steve Hilton, Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer emerging in front, with many ballots to be counted
TL;DR
- Early results in California's gubernatorial race show Republican Steve Hilton leading, with Democrats Xavier Becerra and Tom Steyer closely following.
- Three Democratic candidates, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, and Antonio Villaraigosa, have conceded the race.
- A large number of uncounted ballots, especially mail-in votes, make the final outcome uncertain and may take days to determine.
- California's "jungle" primary system advances the top two candidates regardless of party affiliation.
- In the Los Angeles mayoral race, incumbent Karen Bass has advanced, with Spencer Pratt leading Nithya Raman for the second spot.
- The gubernatorial race featured a crowded field of 61 hopefuls, marked by a lack of a clear Democratic frontrunner and voter frustration over issues like housing affordability and cost of living.
- Eric Swalwell, a congressman, suspended his campaign and resigned from Congress due to sexual misconduct allegations, which impacted the Democratic field.
- Xavier Becerra, former Biden administration health secretary, mounted a late surge into contention.
- Tom Steyer, a billionaire investor, self-funded his campaign with a progressive platform.
- Steve Hilton, a Fox News personality, sought to challenge Democratic governance.