Steve Hilton is leading in the RealClearPolitics average. Xavier Becerra has surged into second among Democrats after Eric Swalwell's resignation — but he can't answer a direct question about high-speed rail and had back-to-back bad press weeks heading into election day. Tom Steyer is still in the race despite Democratic leaders wanting him out. Katie Porter is fading at 9%. And Chad Bianco has dropped off the pace he was setting earlier in the primary.
In this clip from our May 26th roundtable — recorded one week before the primary — our panel breaks down the final state of the race: why Becerra is leading a Democratic field nobody wanted, why Democrats couldn't get Steyer to step aside, what Katie Porter's collapse tells us about the limits of identity politics in California, and whether two Republicans could still advance to November and lock Democrats out entirely.
Guests: Kyle Campbell (senior advisor, Hilton for Governor), Tess Abraham (California Conversation), Susan Collins (registered Democrat, Los Angeles), and Camille.
California votes June 2nd. Polls open 7AM–8PM. Mail ballots must be postmarked by June 2nd.
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⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 — Where the Race Stands the Night Before
03:00 — Why Becerra Is Leading Despite Everything
07:00 — Tom Steyer Won't Drop Out
11:00 — What Happened to Katie Porter
14:00 — The Lockout Scenario — Is It Still Possible?
California Underground covers the California stories the rest of the media ignores — following the audits, the contracts, the budgets, and the officials responsible for outcomes that aren't matching the promises. No team. Just receipts.
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