A messy California governor’s race raises Democratic fears of potential loss

Rep.

Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., departs following votes at the Capitol, Thursday, March 5, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert) 2026-04-01T04:19:50Z LOS ANGELES (AP) — Democrats have run California for years, but in a nationally critical election the party is being confronted by the limits of its own power: the race for governor is out of control.

Barely a month before the start of mail-in voting, Democratic leaders are openly dreading the possible loss of a statewide election for the first time in two decades.

As candidates jockey in a crowded field, the contest has degenerated into finger-pointing over debate eligibility , identity politics and 2025 ballot counting , issues distant from voters struggling with the soaring cost of gas and groceries. “Squabbles about debates or other inside baseball politics are likely under the radar for most voters and seem almost absurd, given what’s facing us,” Kim Nalder, director of the Project for an Informed Electorate at California State University, Sacramento, said in an email.

Candidates agree that a large number of voters remain undecided on the question of who should take charge of the nation’s most populous state that, by itself, represents the world’s fourth-largest economy.

There are more than 50 candidates on the ballot — including eight established Democrats and two leading Republicans.

Dominant Democrats contend with uncertainty For the first time in a generation the governor’s contest is being defined by uncertainty, not inevitability — former Gov.

Jerry Brown and outgoing Gov.

Gavin Newsom coasted through their elections.

How do Democrats reassert their political clout and regain control of the race in a state where the party holds every statewide office, dominates the legislature and outnumbers registered Republicans by nearly 2-to-1? “I have no idea and anybody who tells you they do, they don’t know either,” said veteran Democratic consultant Dan Newman, who is not involved in the race.

For Democrats, the party’s dicey chances in the June 2 primary stem from the state’s unpredictable “top two” primary system that puts all candidates on one ballot, with only the top two vote-getters advancing to November, regardless of party.

The fear is the party’s 24 listed candidates will undercut each other and divide the Democratic vote into small fractions, clearing the way for the two leading Republicans — Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco and conservative commentator Steve Hilton , both s

原文链接: AP News