Hilton, Becerra have the lead in California governor race | KTVU

Added: 2026-06-03

[00:00:00]you Fox 2 now at 10. The polls are closed, ballots are being counted. It is primary night in California and we are tracking it all. From a chaotic contest for governor to critical races that will reshape local leadership and set the stage for November. Good evening everyone. I'm Mike MBA >> and I'm Claudine Wong. The top of the ticket has been defined by months of uncertainty with dozens of candidates vying for two spots in the governor's race. And let's give you a snapshot of the results so far tonight. On the left, you have the leading candidate, Steve Hilton, now with 26% of the vote. Javier Bera right there behind him with 25%, Tommy Styer with 20% and Chad Biano with 11%. Just a reminder here, the top two vote getters will advance to the general election in November. Now, in the last hour, San Jose Mayor Matt Mayan and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Via Regosa both conceding the race. We will hear from Mayor Mayan later in the newscast. Let's get right to KTV's Greg Lee here in studio after talking with the chairs of both parties. Greg?

[00:01:06]>> Yeah, Mike Levy. Good evening to you.

[00:01:08]State leaders for both Republicans and Democrats, projecting confidence about this gubanatorial race, but also urging patience from their voters, acknowledging what we all know. It's going to take some time to count all these ballots and determine exactly which two candidates move on to the general election in November. Both also recognizing how much this race has transformed in just a matter of months, including Eric Swallwell's departure in April amid sexual assault allegations and Javier Bacera's rise in the aftermath. This race went from a sleepy competition to truly one of the most unsettled governor's races this state has ever seen.

[00:01:41]>> Ultimately, I think we're going to do exactly what we set out to do.

[00:01:44]Certainly, there's been a lot of twists and turns in this race. A lot of unexpected ups and downs. Um, but uh California's leadership on the world stage is more important now than ever before, and I think we're going to ensure that we have a strong governor leading us uh into the future.

[00:02:00]>> It's going to be a tight race. Um we're really glad to see that Republicans have been turning in their ballots um at a a higher pace than they did in let's say last November during the special election. Um and you know that's really going to contribute to the results that we see tonight. Uh every vote counts. Uh every vote's going to be counted.

[00:02:25]>> And again it is important to note here we certainly expect some shifts in the results as more votes are counted. We know a lot of Democrats held on to their ballots until the very last minute and that could certainly delay this count.

[00:02:36]It'll be interesting to see which direction last minute Democratic voters went whether to sty or Bera Mike Claudian.

[00:02:44]>> Yeah, certainly uh we knew that this initial vote count would set a stage but certainly it wouldn't be the final picture that we would need to see. All right, Greg Lee, thanks so much.

[00:02:53]>> All right, let's dive into the race. We are joined now by Melissa Michaelelsson, political science professor and dean of art and sciences at Menllo College as well as KTVU political analyst Brian Silva. Brian, uh, the results filtering in. Your reaction?

[00:03:06]>> Um, not terribly surprised. Um, we we've talked about it a lot that Javier Berero would do well. Uh, that Hilton because of the Republicans would do well. That I said earlier the the Biano votes late in the in the game, those that might have voted for him shifted over. You could see that in the uh in the results so far. Um and I think that's going to be the lineup uh uh for November.

[00:03:30]>> But surprised that he is beating Steve Hilton is beating the Tommy Sty.

[00:03:34]>> No, because all Republicans were or many Republicans were going uh for him as opposed to the Democrat uh field being uh you know split. But uh Tom Tommy Styer at the end of the day for all the millions and everything else failed to connect in a big way with California voters.

[00:03:55]>> But it is a numbers game at this point.

[00:03:56]And do you think Melissa that that when will we know if the numbers will work out? You know, I mean we are waiting but the numbers are still coming in. And >> yeah, it's entirely possible that it could still be a Basera versus Styer runoff because remember Republicans were casting their ballots earlier. And so these earlier returns, you know, a lot of these counties we have less than 50% of the votes that have come >> because we're hearing candidates say we're going to let democracy work itself out. And there was always this talk about this red mirage. It it is hard though when you still see numbers coming in to not assume that this is the full picture.

[00:04:30]>> Yeah, it's but we say this every election, right? don't believe those early numbers, but it's always that the Republicans are doing well earlier and then you see those numbers change. And none of these candidates want to be seen saying, "I've won. I've made it." When then more numbers come back, right?

[00:04:45]That's a that's a bad look.

[00:04:46]>> I would I would add though that the if you listen to what Styer said, he was pretending that uh he had he had been beaten by outside money and everything else. So, uh there's a lot of internal polling that goes on in all these races.

[00:04:59]I've seen it up close. They're tracking certain things. They're tracking all 58 counties at one time. Um I'm guessing that he's not getting great news.

[00:05:08]>> If if it is Bera at the top, what's the campaign the next 5 months for him?

[00:05:13]What's his message to Californians?

[00:05:15]>> Well, I think it's more of the same and showing, you know, this is the this is what voters said they wanted and so I'm I'm here to give you more what I promised I would give you during the primary. It's a much easier race for Basera obviously because instead of having an intraarty battle between a more moderate Democrat and a more progressive Democrat if it were to be Tommy Styer then it's Democrat versus Republican.

[00:05:39]>> You don't have to work as hard. You just have to look at the numbers.

[00:05:42]>> Right. But just don't mess up. I mean because >> Yeah. Don't fumble the ball on the two yard line >> because at the end of the day I mean what California is as being a a blue state at this point. There's the primary and then there's the general and and there has been this thought from Democratic candidates that if I can just get through the primary and if I have a Republican challenger, the road pretty much over.

[00:06:06]>> Absolutely.

[00:06:07]>> Right. And and of course for Republicans out there, they're saying, "Hey, uh the last 10 governors of California, five are Republicans, but it's been a very >> We got to stop you right there because I believe Steve Hilton is addressing a crowd right now in Huntington Beach.

[00:06:20]>> Change is coming to California.

[00:06:24]Change is coming to California and it's long overdue.

[00:06:32]>> I want to just say something from my heart to every single person who's voted for me.

[00:06:40]We We're not We're not there yet, but it's looking good.

[00:06:49]It looks very much It looks very much as if Californians really will have the chance to vote for change in November and take and take our state and take our state in a new direction, a fresh >> a fresh start for our state, which is long overdue. But I just want to say something to every single person who voted for me and every single person who voted in this election. Whether you voted for me or not, I am here for you, for every single one of you.

[00:07:26]Because I have to tell you, it's the greatest honor of my life to stand before you now. Well over 1 million Californians have put their faith in me.

[00:07:40]The the number is rising.

[00:07:44]But here's what I want to say. As someone who is a new American citizen, >> so proud, >> so proud to be an American, >> so proud to be a Californian.

[00:07:56]What an incredible honor. The first time I've run for office, over a million people and rising, voting for me to take this incredible state in a new direction.

[00:08:08]And I know that some of you may be watching and saying, "Who is this guy with a funny ass?"

[00:08:12]>> Right. Steve Hilton there speaking to supporters in Huntington Beach. Uh says change is on the way here in California.

[00:08:19]Will mention this also. Katie Porter um has conceded the race for governor. Um President Donald Trump endorsed him.

[00:08:27]>> Yes.

[00:08:27]>> Are we going to see more President Trump in California over the next 5 months if indeed the results stay as they are right now?

[00:08:33]>> I don't see Trump campaigning in California for him. No, I do not. But I think when asked, Hilton will acknowledge that he has uh Trump's endorsement. But what happens after a primary uh is that um both candidates, if they come from different parties, have to kind of come to the middle to find their to to find people who are willing to to cross over. Hilton's going to have to do that. He's got to find Democrats uh and independents and decline to states or he doesn't have a chance. And don't you think I mean certainly Gavin Newsome did not endorse anyone and certainly and really the top Democrats didn't really do anything and that that is fairly normal but if it ends up being one Democrat >> one Republican then all the Democrats coales and that's a different race.

[00:09:16]>> Absolutely. And in California overwhelmingly a democratic state we have super majorities in both chambers in the legislature. It's you know again unless somebody fumbles the ball at the two yard line right it will be a Democratic victory. And so everybody will be coming behind him and that's when party partisanship really kicks in.

[00:09:34]>> What do you think happened to Matt Mayan? You know, he came out I know he came out a little bit late.

[00:09:38]>> He got a ton of money.

[00:09:40]>> Yes.

[00:09:40]>> U but there just wasn't traction in the polls.

[00:09:43]>> I think I think he had trouble in the debates really finding a lane that he that made him distinct, made him stand out. And you know, while we know Matt Maym because San Jose is a local city in most of the state he was an unknown. So he comes into the rate just come comes into the race just without people being familiar with him.

[00:10:02]>> Do you think that the Matt Mayanss the Katie Porters people have there was some coverage in these final days too because the Democratic party in California had pushed for some of these other candidates to not make it such a crowded field. Will there be some criticism uh post election to say we could have had a couple of Democrats on this November ballot if Tommy Styer can't overcome Steve Hilton in the >> right. We still might have two Democrats. If we have to say if I think the Democratic party was doing what was in the best interest of the party was saying, you know, we can't splinter the vote. We can't risk having two Republicans be on the final ballot. And so the Democratic party was doing what it needed to. But remember, most candidates didn't heed that advice and they stayed in. And so will the Democratic party take criticism for something that didn't really seem to do much? I I think there's going to be debate because um you know even the Democrat chair, state chair tried to get people to to leave the race. They just wouldn't. And you look at some of those people that pulled the two three 5% and you kept asking yourself why are you doing that? Why are you staying in this race? Hand it off to Bera or to at the time Eric Swallwell, whoever it was, but they stayed in the race. I think there's going to be some ongoing criticism within the party for that. But Sarah was at 5% when he was saying that. And so if the lower polling candidate said he did that advice, we would not be looking at >> What if Kala Harris was in the race?

[00:11:23]>> Well, change everything.

[00:11:25]>> There there's your curveball, Mike.

[00:11:27]>> Always got to throw one. Got to throw one.

[00:11:29]>> You throw it and you threw it.

[00:11:30]>> Politics throw it out there.

[00:11:32]>> Well, Brian and Melissa, always great to have this conversation and this conversation will certainly continue. We are not done yet.

[00:11:38]>> All right. We will continue to track the results of the governor's race throughout the newscast.

[00:11:42]>> And we are following several more races on the ballot tonight, including the two congressional races. In the Bay Area, voters in San Francisco deciding who they want to fill the seat of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi. And in the East Bay, the seat formerly held by Eric Swallwell is up for grabs.

[00:11:58]>> And the results in both races starting to come in. We are back on the other side of this break with more live coverage of tonight's California primary. Stay with us.

[00:12:20]D party.