Expand / Collapse search
☰

New polling shows tightening race for California governor

By
Published  May 5, 2026 11:06am PDT
Election
FOX 11
California gubernatorial poll

California gubernatorial poll

The race for California governor remains wide open.

The Brief

    • Two new surveys indicate a highly competitive field for California governor, with Republican Steve Hilton leading at 20% in a SurveyUSA poll and tied for the lead in a poll.
    • Hilton is closely trailed by Democrats Tom Steyer and Xavier Becerra, while Chad Bianco remains a significant factor in the race with 12% support in one survey.
    • The number of undecided voters has dropped as low as 14% in recent polling.

The race for California’s next governor remains wide open, according to two new polls released this week. 

What we know:

Two separate polls were released this week, providing a look at the current standing of the gubernatorial candidates. A poll conducted by SurveyUSA places Republican Steve Hilton in the lead with 20% of the vote. He is followed by Democrat Tom Steyer at 18%, Chad Bianco at 12%, and Xavier Becerra at 10%.

In contrast, a separate poll released by the California Democratic Party and conducted by Evitarus, a public opinion research consulting firm, shows a much tighter race at the top. In this survey, Steve Hilton and Xavier Becerra are tied for the lead, both garnering 18% of the vote.

SUGGESTED: CA Governor Race: Who is running to replace Newsom in 2026

By the numbers:

The data shows the following:

SurveyUSA poll:

  • Steve Hilton: 20%
  • Tom Steyer: 18%
  • Chad Bianco: 12%
  • Xavier Becerra: 10%
  • Undecided: 17%

Evitarus poll (California Democratic Party):

  • Steve Hilton: 18%
  • Xavier Becerra: 18%
  • Undecided: 14% (down from a previous 24%)

Big picture view:

This shift indicates that voters are beginning to settle on their preferred candidates.

The Source: This report is based on polling data provided by SurveyUSA and Evitarus.

ElectionCalifornia PoliticsCalifornia